Best Laid Plans
by leobold1
Summary: Case-Fic, Tony Centric. With Gibbs unavailable, the investigation into a murdered Petty Officer gets infinitely more complex. Slightly AU. Light TIVA. Takes place mid-6th Season. One chapter per day, already written.
1. Seward's Folly

Chapter 1. Seward's Folly

The wad of crumbled paper hit its target, just above the left ear before falling to the ground at his feet, unnoticed. The target just rolled his eyes at the childishness of his partner. The floor was covered in previous projectiles launched by a man who was older than he was, but still acted like a three year old.

At one time he was generous enough to consider him a five-year-old, then came the day he stole his calendar.

He glanced off his computer screen and scanned his desk quickly, ensuring that his calendar was still there. In a month and a half, it would be back up to date after being used as ammunition three months ago.

His eyes went back to the computer as a shadow fell between the two men. The lithe woman standing there opened the cabinet and removed the files she needed before closing the drawer and turning to lean against it.

As another paper missile flew his way, she deftly caught it in her hand, not even looking at the thrower nor the target. It amazed both men that she could do that so effortlessly. The targeted man loved when she stood in that position. Sometimes she joined in on the practical jokes, but sometimes she was on his side. Not much lately, but she was there now.

She spoke, "Tony, can you tell me why you feel the need to punish McGee with pages eighty-three to one hundred and two of his novel?"

Special Agent Timothy McGee, the constant target, looked up from his computer at what Ziva had in her hand, noticing the close type of a page of a book. "Tony, that was a present. A pre-released copy of _Rock Hollow_ that you're tearing up," Tim was mad enough to almost scream at him.

"Relax, McLiar. I don't have to read it. I _lived_ it," Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo spat back at him. "Didn't I?" Tony pegged another paper ball at him.

Mossad Liaison Officer Ziva David just chuckled. "He does have a point, McGee," she stated before lobbing the piece of paper at Tim and walking back to her desk.

Tony admired the retreating form, looking away only moments before he came within her field of vision. He often had a dream of a stalking lioness in the African Savannah. He didn't have many of those dreams lately.

He turned his attention back to Tim. "Besides, this wasn't _Rock Hollow_. Its an old copy of," Tony changed his voice to one closer to a game show announcer, "_Deep Six: The Continuing Adventures of L.J. Tibbs._ I would never rip up a book that was a present, even from you, Probie."

Ziva grinned at Tony. "Did you not use _Rock Hollow_ as kindling last weekend with Brittany?"

Tony frowned back. "Nope. Didn't get that far. She called off the date."

Ziva put on her best concerned face. However, she was unable to stop a slight lift of the edges of her mouth. "Did she give a reason why," she asked, too innocently.

Tony glared back at her. "Yeah. Said a woman called claiming to be my wife, asking when she would have her 'darling husband' home." Tony used air quotes to emphasize, 'darling husband' before going back to glare at Ziva.

"Well, maybe that will teach you to not stalk me."

"I was not stalking you. I simply happened to be having dinner at the same restaurant as you."

"In Richmond! Almost two hours away."

"Not the way you drive, Zi-Vah. Probably made it there in less than forty-five minutes, trailed by numerous accidents from people trying to avoid getting hit by you."

"_Fifty_-five minutes. There was traffic on the Beltway."

"Surprised you didn't use your Mossad Super-Secret One-Woman Helicopter to get there."

"It was in the chop, Tony," Ziva flashed back sarcastically.

"_Shop_, Zi-Vah. In the _shop_. Besides, its not like I tried to join you and your," Tony guffawed before he finished, "_Date._"

"No, you asked me, in front of Daniel, if my gonorrhea had cleared up yet," Ziva growled.

"Well, maybe you'll think twice the next time you decide to use my toothbrush to clean your pistol."

While the normal Tuesday morning battle waged, differentiated from the normal Tuesday afternoon battle only by the hands on the clock, McGee started to gather up the rolls of paper at his feet before opening his bottom drawer and depositing them inside, joining the past day's supply of Tony's ammunition. He had once hoped that Tony would simply break into his desk when he wanted to throw paper at him. Now, every Friday, he had to throw away a full trash bag full of them to make room for next week's supply.

The argument was not even slowed by the entrance of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, passing by their desks. He got to his and sat his coffee on the desk before he loudly whistled. "Hey, both of you, either take it to the gym and fight it out, or tell me how this Petty Officer managed to steal three million dollars of government property before getting himself killed."

Both jumped and started to talk at once, talking over each other, each giving the information they had. Gibbs whistled again.

"McGee, what do you have," he asked the technical wizard of the team.

Tim started, without getting up. "Boss, Petty Officer Carmichael was a genius. He set up an algorithm that would order twice the amount of any item that was ordered, and funnel that to his personal storage site. It was done at random times each day set up with a pseudo-random number generator that would compute the proper…" Tim was cut off.

"McGee. I'm resisting the urge to treat you like I do DiNozzo, " he growled at him.

"Boss, that hurts. I thought I was the only one you loved enough to head slap into an oblivion," DiNozzo almost-petulantly asked.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs warned.

"Shutting up, Boss!" Tony head slapped himself and glared at Ziva who was chuckling and grinning from across the bullpen.

Gibbs turned back to McGee and gestured for him to continue. "Basically, Boss, what he did was order a washer, and then the computer ordered another. One went to where it was supposed to go, and the other went to his storage site. It wouldn't be repeated until eight orders later, or eight hundred, depending on what the program decided," McGee finished.

"See, McTheasarus, simple English," Tony barbed from his desk. He glared at Ziva when a piece of paper hit him in the head. She was concentrating on her computer screen with a pen in one hand and her notebook in the other. Tony wondered how she did it.

"McGee, is there anything in Carmichael's history that would show that he could make this program," Gibbs asked. "He didn't seem to computer literate when we talked to him the day he died."

"Boss, this program is so simple even you…" McGee trailed off and his eyes shot wide as he realized what he was about to say.

"McGee, 'even you' what," Gibbs asked. "Are you saying that this program is so simple that even a computer Neanderthal like me could do it?" Tony and Ziva exchanged smirks as McGee debated on answering. Any answer he gave would dig him deeper, so he just kept his mouth closed. Gibbs waited an eternity of five seconds before turning his head away. "Ziva, what do you have on Carmichael's roommate," Gibbs asked.

Ziva stood and activated the plasma screen. A picture of a Navy Petty Officer flashed on the screen. "Store Keeper Second Class Bryan Reynolds. He has been in the Navy for ten years, due to be promoted in the next few months. His service record states that he is an average sailor. Transferred in from Hawaii a little over a year ago to the Navy Yard," she finished.

"DiNozzo, anything on the BOLO on Reynolds yet," Gibbs asked his Senior Field Agent as his phone rang.

"Nothing yet, Boss," he said, picking up own his phone. "I'll check on it."

Gibbs hung up and stood, coffee in hand. "Abby's got something. C'mon, Elf Lord, let's see what she has."

McGee hurried off with Gibbs, leaving Tony and Ziva alone in the bullpen.

Tony was making notes on his paper when he felt another piece of paper hit him in the head. His gaze shot up at Ziva, who was again staring at her computer screen, typing away.

"Zi, stop throwing paper at me," Tony whispered across the desks.

Ziva looked up, confusion on her face. "I have not thrown any paper at you," she said, looking into his face.

"Well, then, who did," Tony asked. His gaze was drawn away from the Israeli as a part of a head bobbed above the wall behind her. The part of a head revealed that it had a full face to go with it as he stood up. Tony groaned, but put a smile on his face. "Ricky? Ricky Seward? What are you doing in here?"

Ziva turned to see a tall man come around the partition and walk up to Tony. "Hey, DiNozzo, wondered how long it would take for you to figure out who it was. I just stopped by to see if one of your cases meshed with one of mine," Seward said, holding his hand out to Tony to shake.

Tony shook it, but was confused. "One of our cases," he asked.

Seward waved his hand dismissively. "No, belongs to another team. Turns out that they weren't related. Then I saw you and decided to say, 'Hello," Seward smiled. His eyes turned to Ziva and they quickly turned into slits, as if he was seeing a target. "Speaking of, 'Hello,' I'd like to introduce myself. Detective Ricky Seward, Baltimore Homicide. And you are?"

"Officer Ziva David. Pleasure to meet one of Tony's friends," she said as she stood up to shake Seward's hand. She had a slight smile on her face, looking either as if she saw something that she was sure she would enjoy, or that she was constipated.

Tony didn't miss the difference in her reaction to Seward. His jealousy reared its head as he stood and walked around the desk. "Yeah, Ziva's my partner," he said putting himself between the two.

"Well, I'm pleased to meet one of DiNozzo's partners," Seward leered. "And a lovely partner she is, DiNozzo. Where have you been hiding her," he asked, his eyes never leaving Ziva, roaming from her face to her breasts and back, only to repeat it. His hands held hers, hoping to maintain the physical contact for as long as possible.

Tony looked to Ziva, and when he saw the look on her face, he realized that this would be a conversation best to observe from far away. "I don't keep her, Seward. She's free to come and go as she pleases," Tony said, backing up slowly.

Seward almost whispered, "Is that right?" His finger had started to caress the palm of Ziva's hand.

Ziva closed the distance and smiled her most dangerous and seductive smile. "That is correct. Tony doesn't own me. You would like to own me, Ricky, yes," she breathed, her face only inches away from Seward's.

"More than you know, darling," he said.

A sudden scream from his mouth drew the attention of most of the agents on the floor and on the catwalk above. Heads even popped out of conference rooms around the work areas. Tony's snickering and his camera phone clicking was the only other sounds that could be heard.

"In Mossad," Ziva started, "We call that a 'thumb tap.' It is used before we shoot a target from extremely close range." Ziva's voice had taken a hard edge to it.

Seward's leer was erased, his eyes wide as saucers. "M-M-Mossad," he gulped.

Tony chose that moment to step back up to the pair, scratching his head as he did so. "My memory isn't normally that foggy. Sorry, Seward, must have forgotten to mention it," he said as he slapped a hand on Seward's shoulder.

Seward backed away as quickly as he could, still trying to keep what dignity he had left. He made it two steps when he bumped into Tony's desk. Ziva followed him, her hand never leaving his, the look on her face growing more murderous by the moment.

"No man will ever 'keep' me. Not even you. Are we clear, Detective Seward?" Ziva left no doubt in her tone as to what the correct answer would be.

"Clear, ma'am," he strangled, then yelled again even louder as he fell to a knee on the floor.

"_Ma'am_? Did you just call me 'ma'am'?" Tony could only shake his head and cover his eyes.

Another scream brought him out of his amusement. "Ok, Zi, let him go. I'm sure he'll need that hand for his personal entertainment tonight," Tony chuckled.

She released Seward who scrambled away from the duo as quickly as he could, keeping an eye on Ziva as he went, this time with fear in his eyes. He released his injured hand only long enough to push the button on the elevator. When it didn't arrive in moments, he moved quickly to the stairs.

As soon as he was out of sight, Tony and Ziva looked at each other a moment before they burst into laughter together.

They were still chuckling as they walked back to their desks, happy for the short respite from the stress of a challenging case.


	2. Semantical

A/N: Part of this chapter, at the end, is rated M. It lasts only five paragraphs, so I decided to not separate it.

Chapter 2. Semantics.

Tony was putting the finishing touches on dinner when there was a knock at the door. He wiped his hands on a dishtowel, turned off the stove, and moved to answer it. He smiled when he opened the door.

Ziva melted whenever he smiled at her. She would sometimes freeze in place when he did it, sometimes not coming out of her trance until a few moments after he moved away, with just the knowledge that the smile was for her benefit.

He stood there, with an impish grin on his face, looking down at his long time partner, who hadn't moved from her spot at the door. He loved when she got the far away look in her eyes when he smiled at her. He would give her a special smile for when it was just the two of them alone, knowing that, somewhere, somehow, her knees were knocking together over him.

While he waited for her, he took her in. An arm-less, calf length dress, split up the middle, very blue, with a plunging neckline. As he looked, he didn't see any sign of a bra. Her unpinned hair fell in curls that ended somewhere in the middle of her back. He knew that when she sat down, he would get a wide view of her soft, yet very muscular, thighs. Her earrings were three diamonds suspended with a silver link between them. He had never seen her so breathtaking.

He stepped aside, which broke her reverie. She stepped in the door and looked up at him, less than a foot away.

"'Mossad Super-Secret Helicopter', Tony" she asked, a smirk on her face.

"'Mossad Super-Secret _One-Woman _Helicopter,' Zi-Vah," he grinned back at her.

"You are incorrugated," she said as she reached up to give him a light brush on his lips, a promise for things to come.

"It's 'incorrigible,' Zi-Vah," he automatically corrected.

She looked deeply into his eyes and stroked his cheek with her fingernails. "You want tonight to have a happy ending for you, yes," she asked, seduction heavy on her lips. He gulped and nodded. She continued, "Then do not correct my English tonight." She kissed him hard on the lips.

He was transported to a world where flowers bloomed, birds soared, and little crawly things did their little crawly business. A perpetual spring flowed over him. At that moment, he knew that declaring himself to her was the best thing he could have done.

She was sent tumbling through a sea of bliss. If this was a shade of happiness, she never wanted to leave it, just go farther into it and see where it would lead her. At that moment she knew that telling Tony she loved him was the smartest thing she ever did.

"You two really need to get a room," they heard, breaking off the kiss. Tony' neighbor across the hall chuckled as he opened his door and went inside.

"Thanks, Carl," DiNozzo shouted as the door closed behind his neighbor. They hadn't realized that Tony was still against the door, but a rising pain the small of his back convinced him that kissing, while one of the greatest inventions in the world, wasn't a good idea to do with Ziva when he was backed up against a doorknob.

Still she stopped him from moving. "Ti amo, Tony," she smiled up at him, brushing her lips on his.

"Ani O'hev O'Tach, Ziva," he breathed.

They stepped fully into the apartment, Tony closing the door before he took her jacket. "Dinner smells wonderful, Tony. But, it does not smell like your normal Italian plates," she said as she moved deeper into the apartment.

He stopped himself from correcting her, only by a force of will barely stronger than his need to compete. "Well, in celebration of our six month anniversary, I thought it would be nice to try my hand at another type of cuisine," he grinned as they stepped into the dining room, her in front of him.

He had noticed on the walk from the door that there wasn't a panty line either. He was going to love this night, he was certain of it. It would be one of those life-changing moments.

He walked to the table and pulled out her chair for her, grinning as she sat. Another of the things he knew without having to be told is that she enjoyed him treating her like a lady. His natural gentlemanly tendencies only enhanced this treatment.

"While I still do not get the six month thing, there is something else that bothers me. Technically, we started dating on the fifth, which was the first Wednesday. So, does it count as six months from the fifth, or six months from the first Wednesday of the month? And, how does February fit in. After all, it has only twenty-eight days, unlike all the rest. Does leap year count as well," she looked up to see him smirking down at her.

"Nervous, Zi," he asked. Another woman would have blushed, having been caught so readily. But, Ziva David does not blush. At least on the outside.

She glanced down at the table. "A little. While it will not by either of our 'first time', it will be the first time we have 'done it' with each other, yes? So, I am nervous," she answered. Just six months ago, getting Ziva to admit to fear, nerves, or anything other than happiness, varying states of anger, or no emotion at all was all but impossible. Outside of the time she spent alone with Tony, she still didn't admit to it. She looked up again to see his smirk had turned into a grin. "Why are you looking like a Chester Cat, Tony? Are you not nervous as well," she asked.

He closed his eyes, using all his control to not correct her again. He repeated in his mind a mantra, '_happy ending...happy ending._' This time he thought she did it on purpose. Alice in Wonderland was one of her favorite English stories. The adventure and the chase appealed to her.

He smiled down at her beaming, now knowing for certain that she misspoke purposely. Tony moved to the kitchen to get the dinner.

Ziva watched as he walked away. His brown long sleeve shirt matched well with his deep brown eyes. His black slacks were tight in the places that Ziva liked, hoping that he'd shaved. Not his face. He hadn't shaved his face since the morning, and the stubble made him look even sexier, she thought.

He gathered the bowls up and moved to the table, placing them where she could smell them. As she did, her face started to light up. When he'd placed the last one on the table, she was leaning forward, nose in overdrive, almost spilling out of her dress.

Tony affected a French accent as he began to uncover the first course. "Tonight, on the menu, we have for you, to start, a light, yet hearty, traditional Israeli Salad, complete with lemon juice and olive oil." He spooned the salad into two small plates. "If you would like, you may begin," he finished as he sat next to her.

She smiled as she ate the salad. This is a traditional Israeli dish, and few knew that it came from their Arab neighbors. From the smells in the room, she knew this wouldn't be the last dish from her former country. She realized that the portion was small, knowing that the rest of the meal would make up for it. As they ate the salad, their eyes left each other only to look at the plate to see that they were picking something up. Sometimes they didn't look down, and didn't pick anything up.

The air surrounding them was electric. They knew what would happen, and they knew they both wanted, no _needed_, it. They both, separately, were passionate people. Together, they went off the charts.

"That was delicious, Tony. Is there anything tonight that isn't kosher," she asked.

Tony cleared away the bowls, placing them on the breakfast counter as he answered. "That is a surprise, and I know how much you love a surprise." She scowled at him as he uncovered the next dish, again dropping into the French accent.

"For the entrée, Madame, we have tonight a superbly prepared carp and salmon _gefilte_, prepared in the traditional style, with eggs, onion, and carrots. To your left," he continued as he placed small bowls, "Is _chrain_, one with beets, and the other without. You may choose as you wish." Tony sat down and watched as Ziva picked the white, spicier, _chrain_ and spooned a small amount onto the fish. "To the side, you will see a small dish of _ptitim_, with a spinach garnish. Along with this, we have an unpretentious Barkan Merlot from the Shimshon region. The chef hopes you enjoy."

Tony sat at her side and watched her eyes light up, as she tasted the dishes. "These didn't come from a can, did they? This is amazing, Tony," she gushed, laughing when he blushed red.

"I figured that you haven't had much in the way of traditional food since you came to DC, so I thought I would surprise you with a feast. And," he said as he forked a piece of fish, "it is _all_ kosher," he finished as he put it in his mouth.

"How did you get the ingredients, or even know what the ingredients were," she asked incredulously.

"Well, the internet is a wonderful thing. As for the foods, it took me a while, and a whole lot of gas, but I found a couple stores that carried the ingredients. I've tried to make it three times before to make sure that it was done right. The first two were really bad. The third was pretty good, and I knew what mistakes I had made. So, that's why I left early today. I didn't have a dentist appointment, I had a dinner appointment. Although, they both involve teeth, so it wasn't a total lie," he finished with a grin, leaning closer to her.

She leaned in as well, resting her cheek on her hand. "A lie is still a lie, Special Agent DiNozzo," she said with a smile.

"Semantics. And its 'Very' Special Agent DiNozzo to you, Very Officer David," he said.

Her smile fell, tempered with confusion, although the smile still touched her eyes. "That does not sound right. And isn't adding 'very,' also semantical?"

Tony smacked his forehead and spoke out loud to himself, "She's doing it on purpose, DiNozzo. Don't take the bait."

She laughed at him, covering her mouth. "I thought it was 'Very Special Agent' DiNozzo, is that not what you said," Ziva chuckled.

"Semantics, Zi."

They settled into a comfortable silence, gazing at each other as they finished their dinner. At NCIS, they had to be careful, lest the rest of the team know what was going on between them. Alone, they could stare until their hearts were content. At the moment, both hearts were far more than content.

As they finished their meal, Tony unveiled a small cake, wrapped in chocolate frosting. He looked at her, inquiring with his eyes, and she nodded. He sliced once, then placed the knife a fraction of an inch to the left of the original cut. He was about to slide the knife in when he heard a sharp intake of breath from Ziva. The hidden grin never leaving his face, he looked up at her and pivoted the knife until she shook her head, telling him that was the right size to cut the cake. He slid the knife under the cake to remove the piece, revealing a two layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and quickly placed it on a plate. He then sliced a tiny sliver of a piece and put it on another plate.

She glared at him when he put the extra small slice in front of her and the large piece in front of him. He stood to get forks for the two of them, not in the least bit shocked to find her using one of her combat knives to eat the now switched piece of cake. The moan in her throat as she tasted the chocolate wasn't sexual, it was far more than that. He chuckled as he sat down again, taking the small sliver piece in three bites, and spending the rest of the time just admiring her.

Ziva broke the silence with a question she had for a while now. "Tony, while I don't mind being your 'secret girlfriend,' I would at least like to tell the rest of our friends soon," she finished with a frown.

Tony looked into her eyes. He saw how it was hurting Ziva not to be able to share it with the rest of the team. "Ziva, I have no problem with telling anyone, except that word will get back to Gibbs. We've already ground Rule Twelve to dust, but he can still split us up. And, while I would love the chance for a transfer to the sunny climes of Nome, Alaska, where Gibbs will convince the SecNav to build a base just to send me to it, that would mean having to be separated from you."

Ziva cast her eyes down. She sighed heavily and brought her eyes up to meet his. "Well then, you know that once Abby finds out Gibbs will know, so we must make the most of the time, yes?" She stood up, holding out her hand to him.

He took it and she moved to the bedroom, leading him like a puppy on a leash, kicking off their shoes as they went down the hallway. He was entranced with the back of the dress, how the back plunged down to just above her tailbone. Her butt was encased in a ruffled pattern that drew his eye. She looked over her shoulder at him and giggled, knowing what the dress was doing to him.

She let go of his hand and stepped to the bed. When she got there, she reached down and pressed on the mattress, as if she was testing its strength. With a sultry grin she turned back to him.

"Tony, we spent the first three months without sex because we did not want to rush. The next three were spent in anticipation of the 'perfect moment' or interrupted by something. I had decided that we would make love tonight, come hell or high tide." Tony shut his eyes to keep his mouth from running away with a correction. Ziva smirked at his response. "And while tonight has been perfect, perfect or no, if you do not make love to me right here, right now, I will invent new ways to kill you with a paperclip, yes," she finished, her husky voice driving him more wild than before, if it was even possible.

She stalked to him and he was again reminded of the lioness from his dreams. When she reached him, one hand went to his chest while the other wrapped around his neck. She pulled him to her, his hands on her hips, and crushed his mouth with hers. Her tongue snaked into his mouth, dueling like master swordsmen, while his hands roamed her back and hair.

She pulled him back to the bed, lifting his shirt as she did so. When they came up for air, she took advantage and removed his shirt from his body. She placed small kisses on his chest, lightly biting his nipple. He groaned loudly, ramming her body into his in a promise of what was to come.

She moaned into him while he pushed the straps down her arms. She let go of his chest for a moment to let the dress fall to the floor. Her hands unbuckled his pants and they fell to the floor, taking his boxers with them. He lifted her up in his arms and placed her gently down on the bed.

After staring down at her for a moment, he rolled over her, taking a moment to admire her body. He was thankful that the dress had no room for underwear, as it would have meant more for him to take off to see the vision before him.

He leaned down and kissed her, his hands roaming her body.

"Tony…Please," she begged. He accommodated her with his hands while she writhed in pleasure. This was the farthest he'd gotten with her; it would only take moments to go the rest of the way. He positioned himself above her, staring into her eyes. She begged him with her body and he closed in on her.

Both their heads shot to his pants on the floor when they heard a phone ring.

"Wrong number," said Tony, not caring.

"Definitely. If not, they will leave a message," Ziva said, arching her back, reaching for him.

The sound of a second phone ringing from the dining room, where Ziva had left her bag, made them moan in frustration.

Tony sat up and grabbed his pants, pulling out the offending object, flipping it open. While he did this, Ziva ran to get her phone.

"DiNozzo," he barked into the phone.

"Tony, it's McGee. D.C. Metro just picked up Reynolds. They're bringing him in now. Gibbs wants all of us here immediately."

"You do realize, McDead Man, that you will pay for this, don't you," Tony growled angrily into the phone before slamming it shut.

"That was Gibbs," said Ziva from the doorway to his bedroom, still naked. "They found Reynolds and Gibbs wants us there now." If looks could kill, Gibbs would be a dead man. "Do not worry, my little hairy butt. I will convince Gibbs to let me interrogate, I will get him to crack within seconds, we will come back here, and I will roll your world," she said, anger at being unfulfilled yet again evident in every word.

"_Rock_, Zi."

"What does music have to do with it, unless me reaming your name counts." He chuckled.

"_Screaming_ my name, Sweet Cheeks." She looked at him and raised her eyebrow. Tony knew that look. "Doesn't matter if I correct it now, Zi, tonight's happy ending just went up in smoke."

Ziva placed her hand over her lower abdomen and said, "Well, I do smell fire." Tony grabbed his pants and got dressed as Ziva went into the second drawer of what was now a shared dresser, and got some clothes to wear.


	3. Shocks to the System

Chapter 3. Shocks to the System

Ziva arrived at NCIS a few moments ahead of Tony, cup of herbal tea in hand. Since they began dating, they had gone out of their way to not be seen as a couple. Once a week they would arrive at the same time, on random days, just to make it look like they weren't consciously avoiding each other. They kept up their barbs to each other. They invented fake dates with others.

They knew, as trained investigators, to never get into a situation where their relationship would be observed. They never even kissed in the building, just in case something happened to cause them to be discovered.

Ziva walked into the building, flashing her credentials to the guards at the door before walking to the elevator. Once inside, she pressed the button that would bring her to the proper floor. She waited impatiently for the doors to open before hearing the _ding_ for her destination.

She walked out of the elevator and made her way to the bullpen. As it came into view, she stopped cold. "Tony, how did you beat me here," she asked. She continued her way to her desk, seeing McGee typing on his computer before dropping her bag behind her own desk.

"Clean living, Ziva. And, the stairs are faster," he grinned at her, taking a sip of coffee. Secretly, her heart melted. Being at work, they both had their guards up, so she was able to cover it easily.

"Is Gibbs here yet," she asked the two men. Her eyes were drawn to the catwalk to see Director Vance walking down. Even at two in the morning, his suit still looked impeccable.

McGee answered, "Nope, he called me, told me to call Tony, and said he'd meet us here. I've already been down to Interrogation, and I know he's not there."

Vance walked down from the catwalk and up to the team. "He's not going to be here," he stated. "Gibbs was hit by a semi-truck on his way here. He's being airlifted to Bethesda now."

Silent shock greeted this statement. Ziva, being the most able to supress her emotions, was the first to break the quiet. "Is he okay," she whispered.

"Don't know yet, David. Dr. Mallard's on his way to the hospital to sit with him. All I know is that he'll need hours of surgery before anyone can see him. In the meantime," Vance looked at DiNozzo, "At Senior Field Agent, this is your team. You are now the Acting Special Agent in Charge here, and you have a suspect in Interrogation."

Tony was still in shock. "Of course," he cleared his throat before he could go on, "Director. Um," he stammered, "Right. McGee, what do we have on Reynolds." DiNozzo waited a moment for McGee to react. "McGee," he shouted, as McGee started. "What do we have on Reynolds?"

McGee turned back to his computer. "Uh, D.C. Metro picked him up on for doing sixty-five in a forty zone. They were just about to give him a ticket when they caught the BOLO we had out on him. They took him into custody and delivered him here." McGee looked up at Vance. "Director, does Abby know about Gibbs? If not, I know she'd rather be there with him."

"Ms. Scuito knows but is needed in her Lab, McGee. Metro is delivering Reynolds' car here within the hour and she'll need to go over it. However, I told Dr. Mallard to call when Gibbs is out of surgery, and she can go visit then. Any questions," Vance's tone left no doubt that no questions were encouraged or would be tolerated. "Then I suggest you get to work. If you need anything, I'll be at Bethesda." With that, Vance left, heading to the elevator.

No one said anything for a minute. The silence was broken by DiNozzo exhaling loudly. "Wow. Okay, let's get this interrogation done so we can go to the hospital. McGee, go help Abby. If she can get done with the car before Gibbs wakes up, the two of you can go to the hospital. If Vance asks, tell him I said so. If she's not done, you finish when she leaves, then you can go." McGee nodded and headed for the rear stairs. "C'mon, Zi, let's go talk to Reynolds," DiNozzo said as he walked around his desk, picking up his coffee. She moved to meet him and they headed to the elevator together.

Once inside, Ziva stepped to the rear of the car, leaning against the wall, while DiNozzo pushed the proper button and waited for the doors to close. As soon as they did, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He reached across his body and held her hand, DiNozzo looking up at the floor readout, Ziva looking at the floor. Both were lost in thought, so lost that they didn't realize until the doors began to close that they had reached their floor. DiNozzo stuck his hand out to stop the doors. Both took a deep breath and altered their faces to put up their emotional walls.

They walked down the hallway, stopping just short of the agent standing in front of Interrogation Room 1 and entering the observation room. To their right, they could see Reynolds sitting in a chair in the interrogation room. Their left held another window into the other interrogation room. Without an occupant, it was dark. Opposite the door sat the night duty technician in front of a bank of monitors and computers. He looked up as they entered.

"Sorry to hear about Special Agent Gibbs, Tony," he said. "Any word on his condition?"

"None, Jerry. Ducky's with him until he gets out of surgery, then Abby will join him, and McGee once they finish processing the car." DiNozzo walked to the window, Ziva at his side. Both were consciously blocking out the condition of their team leader to focus on the job at hand. Neither were completely successful.

They both took in Reynolds as he sat there, head hung low. Tall, with short cropped brown hair, longer than military regulations allowed, but near enough to not get him in too much trouble. He had a tattoo peeking out of the top of his white polo style shirt, almost too high to be in regulations. He was also dirty, spots of dried mud across from the bottom left to the right shoulder.

DiNozzo looked over at Ziva, and when she looked back, silent communication took place. Ziva nodded and DiNozzo handed her his cell phone. As he turned to walk to the door, he grabbed the file folder from Jerry, and a small paper bag from the desk, as he made his way past him. He closed the door behind him, nodded to the agent guarding the other door and walked past him, entering Interrogation Room 1.

Reynolds looked up as the door opened, and Tony stepped inside. "My name is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Petty Officer." He moved to the chair on the opposite side of the table and sat down, his back to Ziva behind the window. "I have a few questions for you." He opened the folder and began to read.

Reynolds was getting antsy as he waited for a sign of attention from the man sitting across from him. DiNozzo continued to read the folder for several minutes, continuing to ignore Reynolds.

"I thought you had some questions for me, Sir," Reynolds asked. Tony simply looked up at him, took a sip of coffee, and looked back down at the folder.

Ziva smiled as she watched DiNozzo go into full 'Gibbs Mode.' When he was the team leader when Gibbs had 'retired/gone on vacation,' DiNozzo's interrogation style would bounce between one that was an almost clone of his Boss and his usual, if atypical, interrogation technique that he'd once dubbed, "Shock and Awe."

To which Tim quipped, "Yeah, shocking that it awes the suspect." That earned Tim a head slap from DiNozzo, and earned DiNozzo a harder head slap from Gibbs. Ziva chuckled at the memory, a tear joining it for Gibbs.

With Gibbs out of action for the near future, DiNozzo went back to cloning Gibbs.

Finally, after several more minutes, DiNozzo looked up from the folder and looked right at Reynolds, leaning forward slightly. He stared at the suspect for another thirty seconds, by which time Reynolds began to squirm. When the question came, it was almost a whisper.

"Why did you kill Petty Officer Carmichael?"

Reynolds' eyes shot open. "What? Jimmy's dead? I didn't kill him. I swear I didn't."

DiNozzo leaned even closer, "Now why don't I believe you." His tone revealed that it wasn't a question.

Reynolds gasped for air like a fish. "Sir, Jimmy was my best friend, I never would have hurt him, you got to believe me." He clutched his stomach. "Oh, I don't feel so good."

"Tell me, Petty Officer, was it for the money? Was it because he wouldn't let you in on his little scheme? Or maybe, you were the brains behind it and he just got in the way," DiNozzo stared into his face as he waited for the inevitable.

"What scheme," he asked, truly curious. DiNozzo could see that this line of questioning was wrong somehow, so he changed tactics.

"We'll come back to that. Let's start with the how, and we'll work our way to the why." DiNozzo sat back and waited for Reynolds to speak.

"Sir, I didn't kill him. I couldn't have. I wouldn't. He was my…my best friend." Reynolds was near sobbing by this point.

"Where did you get the dirt, Petty Officer?" DiNozzo could see this hit an immediate nerve.

"Nowhere. I fell near the warehouse." Reynolds closed his eyes and his whole body drooped when he heard what came out of his mouth.

DiNozzo didn't smile. "And why were you at the warehouse past midnight, far past your duty shift, Petty Officer?"

Reynolds' eyes darted around the room, looking for an answer. "I went to see Jimmy, Petty Officer Carmichael. He wasn't there. He had just started on the overnight shift last week and I needed his share of the rent money from him. I had an dental appointment at 0700, and would be there until at least 0900, after which I'd be off for the day. Jimmy was going to go to see his sister for a couple hours, but I wanted to get the rent paid, so I went to see him since I wouldn't see him again until he got back in the afternoon," Reynolds finished with a sob.

Back in Observation, DiNozzo's phone rang. Ziva looked at the Caller ID and picked it up. "DiNozzo's phone, this is David." She paused, "No, he's in Interrogation, I am holding his phone for him." She listened to the person on the other end of the line, her eyes widening slightly as she did. She asked, "Are you sure?" When she got her answer, she nodded and closed off the call. She put the phone down and picked up her PDA.

_Palmer just called…He said_… Having finished her message, she sent it to DiNozzo's PDA.

When DiNozzo's PDA began buzzing, signifying that he was receiving a message from Ziva, he looked down at it, then back at Reynolds.

He let his gaze fall on the nearly broken Petty Officer for over a minute before he quietly asked, "Does you family know you're gay, Petty Officer?"

Reynolds eyes shot to DiNozzo, widening by the second, before his entire body was racked with sobs. He cried for a few seconds before he shook his head.

"Did Petty Officer Carmichael's parents know he was gay," Tony asked, sympathy starting to creep into his voice.

Reynolds just hung his head. He whispered, "No. Neither of our families knew. Wouldn't have bothered them, but with 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' you just don't take the chance. Too easy to let it slip." Reynolds raised his eyes to DiNozzo, daring him to ask the next question.

Finally, DiNozzo did. "How long has it been since you broke up?"

Reynolds' eyes, while still wet, now flashed with fury. "Three days ago. Bastard said he was tired of 'living a lie,' and didn't want anything more to do with me. He said he found the love of his life, one that made him happy. I gave him the best year of my life, and he throws it away. If you ask me, he got what was coming to him, and I'm _damn_ glad it did," he finished, his tone a throaty growl. "And I'd do it again if I could find out what cheap piece of man-meat he dumped me for."

"So, because he broke your heart, you shot him," DiNozzo said. He wasn't prepared for the reaction.

Reynolds' eyes flew open. "Shot? I didn't shoot him. I just wanted him hurt. I didn't know hitting him with a shovel would _kill_ him," Reynolds finished, confusion back on his face.

DiNozzo stared at him for a moment, before glancing down at his buzzing PDA again. The message simply read, "_Calling Palmer."_

DiNozzo stood. "Okay. You say you didn't shoot him." He picked up the paper bag, removing a plastic tube with a cotton swab on the end. "This will tell me for certain." He moved around to Reynolds' side of the table and leaned down. "This will tell me if you fired a gun recently. All I need to do is touch it to your hands. May I?"

Reynolds nodded an DiNozzo rubbed the cotton swab on his hands and the cuffs of his shirt. He then placed it into the tube and cracked a small vial on the end of it. "Now, if this turns blue, you fired a weapon. If it doesn't change, you didn't."

Both stared as the liquid didn't change color. DiNozzo looked at Reynolds, nodded his head, and moved back around to his side of the table.

Sitting down, he said, "Okay, take me through what happened, Petty Officer."

Reynolds took a deep breath, tears welling in his eyes. "I was a mess after Jimmy broke it off. Finally, I decided that if I could just talk to him, everything would work out. We'd had fights before, but they never lasted more than a couple hours. When I went to see him, we talked, and he told me that it was over," his voice hitched at this point, and he took a deeper breath to calm himself.

"He told me that he still loved me, but he had a career in the Navy, and didn't want to lose that. He said he met someone special that would be a great cover for him, but she knew all about him. She didn't know about me, and he said he would never tell her. I asked if we could still see each other, and he got all stern and said, 'No.' All I saw was red," his voice had started to become angry.

He continued, growing louder by each word and tears falling from his eyes. "I yelled at him, screamed at him. Wanted him to see how much he meant to me. I kissed him, but he pushed me away. He turned around and walked away. I-I-I just couldn't believe that he could just walk away like that. So, I grabbed a shovel from nearby where they were doing some work on the water lines, and ran at him. I just wanted to scare him, that's all. But when I got to him, I didn't even think. I just swung at the back of his head." His voice was almost a whisper now. "I thought I killed him, and felt for a pulse. It was there and regular, but really soft, and he wasn't awake. I wiped the handle with my shirt, probably where I got the dirt on it, and threw it as far as I could."

His eyes looked pleadingly at DiNozzo. "You got to believe me, Sir. I never wanted him dead. I just was so mad that I blanked out. I could see what I was doing, but it was as someone else was doing it. I stood there for a few minutes and realized what I'd done. I got scared and took off, stayed with a friend. I was going to try to sneak back into the apartment to get some clothes when I got pulled over. I swear, when I left, he was still alive. He even started to move around a little."

DiNozzo nodded and gathered up his papers. He stood and began walking to the door. "I'll check out your story. In the meantime, we're taking you into custody for murder." Reynolds' entire face went white. DiNozzo then said, "If your story checks out, they'll probably drop that charge for assault and battery, but that's up to JAG."

Reynolds looked at DiNozzo for a moment, then doubled over, crying.

DiNozzo exited quietly. Once outside, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He heard a door open and felt Ziva's presence before she took his hand.

She looked at the far wall, both deep in thought, and he said softly, "Promise me, you'll never use a shovel."

He could hear the grin on Ziva's face as she said, "No chance, my little hairy butt. Too messy." Tony grinned with her.

They stood there for a few minutes, silent, before going to check on Abby and McGee's progress.


	4. Splintered

Chapter 4. Splintered

As Tony and Ziva stepped out of the elevator and into the garage, the only thing they heard was a woman softly sobbing. McGee was bent over, looking into the passenger door, while a pair of feet stuck out from underneath the car, wearing platform shoes, again reminding him of _The Wizard of Oz_.

"Abby," DiNozzo called. "Abby, are you okay." He was rewarded by hearing a rolling sound as Abby appeared from beneath the car. Her makeup was streaked across her face from wiping her eyes, tears still falling. Her hair fell around her face, hiding most of it in shadow from the work lights in the bay. She looked at him and nodded, clearly lying.

McGee stood and moved to intercept DiNozzo and Ziva. Ziva didn't pay him any attention and went to hug the forensic scientist. McGee said, "Tony, can you come take a look at what we got so far," pointing to the evidence table in front of the car.

DiNozzo let himself be led by McGee, unable to take his eyes off Abby, who was still being held by Ziva. By the looks of McGee's shirt, this wasn't the first time she'd been crying on someone.

On the table was a wide variety of items found in most cars. Trash from the front seat; a tire iron, jack and spare tire from the trunk; a uniform in plastic with a dry cleaner tag; an air freshener well past its throw away date, and numerous CDs.

Tim's voice lowered so only he and DiNozzo could hear. "Just listen and look where I point. Nod every now and then, okay, Tony?" DiNozzo nodded, his eyes unable to concentrate on the table in front of him, worry about Abby destroying his attention span. "You got to get her out of here. She hasn't stopped crying for Gibbs. I doubt if she can even see what she's looking at through the tears. Let her go to the hospital, she's pretty useless here right now. I can finish this up," he begged.

DiNozzo's heart went out to her. He just looked at her and back to Tim. He ran through all the possible choices he had, but it all came down to one simple answer. He nodded his approval.

They both walked to the two women. Ziva gave a look to DiNozzo that was well masked, but he would know that look even without them dating. Even Tim could read it. Tony rubbed a hand up and down Abby's back gently and spoke to her softly. "Abs, do you want to go to the hospital and see about Gibbs?" A nod from the head buried between Ziva's shoulder and neck was all the answer he needed. "Okay, go get changed and we'll drive you."

Abby stood straight and gave a long hug to DiNozzo while he walked her to the elevator. DiNozzo put his eye to the retinal scanner and the elevator opened. He pressed the button and put was surprised to see Palmer standing there, still clad in scrubs. DiNozzo spoke to him quietly, "Palmer, take Abby up to her lab so she can change, then bring her back down here, okay?" Palmer nodded and DiNozzo put Abby inside the elevator next to Palmer, who wrapped his arms around her. The elevator doors closed and it began its ascent.

He moved back to his team and spoke. "Ziva, take her to the hospital, I'll stay here and be along with McGee when the car's processed."

Ziva shook her head. "No, Tony. Abby needs her big brother. She would respond to you far better than me, and I can help McGee with the car. We will finish quicker if you are not here to 'supervise' Tim working." McGee nodded his agreement.

"Besides, Tony, we're almost done here. We'll be along within an hour," McGee said as Ziva moved off.

"Okay, McGee. Do it right, though. No shortcuts. Looks like Reynolds didn't kill him, but he did hit him with a shovel," DiNozzo said as McGee nodded.

"That would explain some wood splinters we found in the driver's seat and embedded in the steering wheel. Probably cracked the handle when it hit and put some splinters in his hands, if it was an old shovel."

The elevator dinged behind them and out walked Palmer. He walked up to DiNozzo. "Abby wanted some privacy while she changed, so I came down here to wait."

McGee smirked, "She wanted privacy, or you did?"

Palmer didn't answer directly, just flushed a little bit before turning to DiNozzo. "How's Agent Gibbs," he asked.

"Still don't know yet, Palmer. Ducky doesn't have an update yet, just that he's still in surgery," DiNozzo said. "Hey, how did you know about Carmichael being gay?"

Palmer got a little flushed. "Well, we found on his, um, frontal private area, that there was some microscopic traces of something in his pubic hair. I brought it up to Abby and she ran it. I guess she came down here before it was finished, because when I went to see how she was doing, she wasn't there, but the results were on the computer. It was male feces. I also recalled that Carmichael's, uh, um, behind…area was distended. And he had some fluids in his…you know. Abby ran those too and it came back to Reynolds' DNA." By now, Palmer was bright red. "I just put two and two together and called you, but Ziva answered."

The two field agents chuckled. "'Frontal private area'? You work around dead bodies, naked ones at that, and you refer to his groin as his 'frontal private area'," DiNozzo asked, a snicker in his voice.

"That's...different. I can talk like that down in Autopsy, since it's where I normally work. I'm used to Dr. Mallard, not so much you guys," Palmer said, growing redder, which none of the three thought possible.

DiNozzo grinned at the flustered Medical Assistant. "Good work, Palmer. Good initiative," DiNozzo said to a now beaming Palmer. As Ziva came back, now dressed in a red coverall, he asked, "What did you find about the back of his head?"

Palmer looked between the three. "Well, I want to have Dr. Mallard check to make sure, but it looks like some of the damage could have been done by something hard and metal. It's really hard to tell, with the damage the exit wound did, but there was a small amount of cracked skull that can't be totally accounted for by the bullet."

"Okay. Anything else?" Palmer shook his head as Abby entered from the elevator, clad now in a pair of black jeans and a T-Shirt for Plastic Death.

She went straight to DiNozzo and he wrapped her in his arms. "Abby, Palmer and I are going to take you to the hospital, okay?" She only nodded. "Palmer's going to take you upstairs and I'll be along in a minute," DiNozzo said. Another nod. He turned to Palmer, "Get changed, you can ride with us if you'd like."

Palmer nodded and took Abby from DiNozzo and maneuvered them back to the elevator. Three sets of eyes were on them as they walked away, and all were thinking good thoughts toward Abby.

When the elevator doors closed, DiNozzo turned back to Ziva and McGee. "Okay, finish the car and meet us at the hospital. Ziva, stop off at the warehouse and see if you can find that shovel on your way, all right?" Ziva just nodded. He turned to the Junior Agent. "McGee, good job with Abby. Let's see if we can wrap this part up quickly." McGee looked a little surprised at the compliment, but nodded his thanks.

"Tony, something to think about," Ziva started. "If Reynolds did not kill Carmichael, and did not know about the money, who did, and is there one or two, or more, people involved?"

"Good point, Ziva. You two see if the car has any answers," DiNozzo said as he turned to make his way to the elevator. McGee and Ziva both shared a, 'he's turning into Gibbs, again' look, before turning to process the car.

DiNozzo looked down at his watch. It was three minutes past midnight. _Happy six months, Ziva._


	5. Apology

My apologies to all. My computer that had this story on it decided to commit suicide. So…I have to rewrite everything from Chapter 5 onward.

Next chapter will be up by tomorrow, tonight if I can do it, then the same update schedule.

When its done, I'll replace this chapter.

Note to all: When its all written, upload it so you won't lose anything.


	6. New Information

A/N: Changed my mind. Hey, if women can do it, so can I.

* * *

Chapter 5. New Information

The ride to the Bethesda was made in silence, broken only by the sobs of the goth woman in the passenger seat. Tony's hand held hers while Palmer, in the backseat, laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. If it hadn't been for them, she would have broken down completely.

As they stepped into the waiting room, they found Ducky waiting for them, sitting in a chair. To the side was Vance, in conference with Special Agent Fornell of the FBI and another FBI agent who Tony had seen, but not met before.

He deposited Abby with Ducky, who took her into his lap, and Palmer sat at Ducky's side, holding her hand. DiNozzo went over to talk to Vance.

"Director, Toby, bland FBI Agent, how is everyone this evening," DiNozzo asked. Only Fornell grinned, Vance looked ready to chew on DiNozzo and spit him out. The other agent didn't make a comment, aside from a barely concealed sigh.

"DiNozzo, good to see you again," Fornell said, shaking his hand. "This is Agent Matthews from my team. Your Director," he motioned to Vance, who nodded, "has asked us to look into Gibbs' accident while you finish up your last case. Then we're to turn it over to you, when you're ready."

DiNozzo nodded. "Agent Matthews, can you get us some coffee, I know I need some. Any for you gentlemen," he asked. When they shook their heads 'no', Matthews moved off toward the cafeteria.

When he was gone, DiNozzo turned to Vance. "Director, would you like an update?" When Vance nodded, he continued, "Reynolds didn't kill him. He hit him with a shovel, but didn't kill him. His hands and shirt came back negative for GSR, and he admitted to the shovel. I asked Officer David to stop off at the warehouse to see if she can find the shovel. Since it's Monday morning now, and this was a government job, I doubt any work has been done this weekend. Hopefully we'll be able to find something to corroborate his statement."

DiNozzo sighed and sat on a nearby chair. "Sorry, been a long night. David and McGee are working on Reynolds' car, McGee found some wood splinters that we may be able to match to the shovel, but Abby will have to check it." DiNozzo looked tauntingly into Vance's eyes. "I decided that she had more reason to be here than working on the car, so I brought her along."

Vance simply nodded, having seen Abby's tears when she walked in to the room. "Good idea. She doesn't look like she could do much through the tears." DiNozzo only nodded. Vance turned to Fornell. "Agent Fornell, I guess this would be a good time to find out where you are."

Fornell looked between the two men. "Basically, there was an eighteen wheeler that ran a red light. Seems a little fishy that the only thing it hit was a Federal Agent's car. We took the driver into custody when the bill of lading didn't match what was in the back of the truck. I also noticed the signature on the bill of lading, and Sacks is checking on the owner now," Fornell looked sideways at Vance.

DiNozzo noticed the look, but didn't have the right reason. He snickered slightly. "_Slacks_? You haven't turned him into your dog sitter?" Fornell grinned and shook his head. "Guess you're right. He is overqualified to do that." Fornell chuckled, knowing the history behind the two men.

He looked at them again, "As of ten minutes ago, both the truck and Gibbs' car are still there, waiting on the wreckers to separate them before they can move them. We're processing at the scene until they get moved. That's all I have so far, Director Vance. If you don't have anything else, I'll head back out and check on the progress. Matthews is going to stay here as a liaison."

Vance nodded, his ever-present toothpick shifting to the opposite side of his mouth. "Sounds good. Keep us informed, Fornell."

Fornell nodded and moved to DiNozzo, who had his head hanging down. He leaned down to the younger man and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, Tony. We'll find who did this. If you'd like, I'll talk to Vance about putting us under your team once you take over the case." DiNozzo only nodded, and Fornell knew it was in appreciation of the offer, not in acceptance of it. Fornell stood and moved away, passing Matthews and taking his coffee as he did.

Vance stood, regarding DiNozzo for a moment. Matthews came up with the coffee and passed one to each man before, wisely, moving off toward the other three. Vance spoke softly. "Special Agent DiNozzo, you are not to involve your team in Fornell's investigation, is that clear?" DiNozzo nodded and stood. They both moved back toward the sounds of a sobbing goth, black make up in shambles after two hours of crying.

Tony walked up to Ducky, who looked up at him. In answer to Tony's unasked question, one he could see on his face, Ducky whispered, "She's fine. I'm not as decrepit as people seem to think I am." Tony chuckled quietly and squatted next to Abby.

He whispered in her ear, "Abs, Gibbs will be all right." He wasn't prepared for his long time surrogate sister to turn on him.

"You can't know that, Tony. The last time Gibbs was in the hospital, he didn't remember anyone, not even Ducky. If it happens again, what if it takes more than head slapping Ziva to snap him out of it? What if he forgets Shannon and Kelly?"

Tony smiled sympathetically. He rubbed her hand and said, "Just think, maybe this time he'll come out kissing me on the cheek and head slapping you." This made Abby chuckle, which Tony grinned at as he placed her hands back in Palmer's and stood, pulling out his cell phone.

Vance, sitting behind Abby, looked up at him. "Who are you calling, DiNozzo?"

DiNozzo didn't bat an eye. "Babysitter. Want to make sure I didn't leave the stove on." He walked out of the room.

Vance started to stand, but was held back by Ducky. "Let him go, Director."

Vance wasn't having any of it. "You know he's going to call David and McGee to check on the accident, and I specifically ordered him not to."

Ducky kissed Abby's cheek as he made for her to stand. She simply moved into a very surprised Palmer's lap, wrapping herself around him. Palmer, shakily, wrapped his arms around her back, his face making Ducky wish he had a camera with him.

Ducky stood and motioned to Vance to follow him. It wasn't until they left the room and stood outside the doorway that he began to speak. "Director, there's probably a few things about Anthony you don't realize. You weren't here the last time when Jethro retired and Anthony had to take over the team." Ducky chuckled. "Timothy and Ziva were in my autopsy probably twice a week, at least, complaining that Anthony was acting like Jethro again." The older man looked directly into Vance's eyes. "Be ready for the same thing.

"Be ready for a Gibbs clone with inappropriate humor stuck in. He'll drink coffee like Jethro, slap heads like Jethro, and get results like Jethro. He'll piss you off. If he had a basement, he'd probably try to build a boat." Ducky chuckled lightly before he continued. "And, he'll do this because Jethro is the only role model he has in leadership.

"At one time, he would have looked to how Jennifer handled herself, but the circumstances of her death, and how she made him walk away from her causing that death means that he won't look to her example.

"He could look to you, but he won't. You split up the team, sent him to the _Seahawk_. You're a divider." Vance opens his mouth to speak, but Ducky raises his hand. "Doesn't matter if it wasn't a punishment, you are the one that split them up. Anthony, as well as the rest of them, believes the mole would have been caught faster if they had been together and looking into the case."

Vance finally got in a word. "Okay, I can see all that. Don't agree with it, but I can see it. But, DiNozzo is, in a word, inept. If he's not playing a practical joke, he's chasing some skirt. How any of the last couple of directors didn't just fire him on the spot is beyond me. He doesn't have the computer skills of McGee, the physical skills of David, and he's not the leader Gibbs is."

"Why they didn't? Simple. They watched. Have you ever watched Anthony when he's with the team? He's the one who normally makes the break in the case, but he'll word it so someone else makes the connection. Jethro and I have talked about it before. Anthony cares more for the team, and their growth, than he does for his own.

"When he first arrived, he was far past arrogant, but he knew he was. He watched Jethro and how he would make the connection, and then give it to someone else. Anthony saw how he did it, and emulated it. Anthony, if you watch, will type with two fingers. When he doesn't know anyone is watching, his typing speed rivals any secretary anywhere.

You're right; he doesn't have the computer skills of Timothy. But, whom do you think brought up Timothy joining the team? It wasn't Jethro. Timothy welcomed Ziva, but who showed her the ropes? It wasn't Timothy. If Anthony knows how to make the team better, he does it."

Ducky placed a finger in Vance's face. "And don't think that he couldn't gain those skills. He's not better at computers than Timothy, only because that's Timothy's niche. He's not better at fighting and shooting than Ziva, because that's what she does. And, he's not the leader Jethro is, because of a conversation they had years ago. Anthony is the only back up Jethro has.

Have you ever noticed how when Anthony is on holiday or gone for a day for some reason? How does Jethro act?" Vance looked down for a moment, thinking. "Jethro's more tense, more irritable, and more prone to head slaps when Anthony isn't around. Anthony absorbs the abuse from Jethro because both of them know that when Anthony can't be there, Jethro will take it out on everyone else. So, he takes as much as he can, so when he can't stop it, it's not as bad as it could be."

Vance looked deep in thought. He'd never imagined this side of the Senior Field Agent. He'd glanced at his personnel folder, but never really looked in depth, safe in the knowledge that his ability to read people was far better than words on a page.

Ducky gave him a few seconds before he continued. "Back to my point from earlier. WWJD is a popular slogan, but in Anthony's case, it doesn't apply to the Son of God, but to the man he believes _is_ God. He will follow Jethro to the ends of the earth, then take the step over first so he can try to catch him when Jethro goes over himself."

Ducky chuckled as he stated, "Anthony would probably make fun of me for the movie reference, and flat out deny the Brokeback Mountain allusion, but Anthony _completes_ Jethro.

"So, before you go off half cocked on Anthony, take a look at it from the team perspective." With that, Ducky moved back to Abby and Jimmy. He sat beside them, and Abby immediately kissed Jimmy on the cheek, causing him to turn even more red, and moved back to Ducky's lap. Vance watched the dynamic for a few moments, turning away to see Tony walking back to the waiting room. Ducky's eyes met Vance's and Ducky nodded.

Vance turned to the approaching agent. "Special Agent DiNozzo, may I have a word with you." The order veiled as a suggestion caught DiNozzo off guard, but he only nodded and moved to the break room.

As they stepped in, DiNozzo walked up to a candy machine and hit it just right. The whirring sound was succeeded by the sound of a candy bar dropping. He bent down to retrieve it before turning to Vance, offering it to him. Vance simply took it and DiNozzo turned back to the machine and repeated his actions. "You know you've been in hospitals too long when you've figured out the vending machine." He chuckled before he turned back and saw the look on Vance's face. Any trace of a grin flew from his face.

"Special Agent DiNozzo, I believe I was quite clear when I ordered you to not involve your team in the investigation into Gibbs' accident. Was I not?" DiNozzo only nodded. "Would you like to explain yourself?"

DiNozzo exploded. "What do you want me to say, Director? That I involved my team in an investigation that they would have checked on anyway? When I called, McGee was already tracing where Gibbs called from when he let us know the locals found Reynolds. David was on her way, already picked up the shovel, and making her way to the accident to see what she could.

"So, yes, Director. I completely ignored your order to instruct my team to do their job. If you want, put David or McGee as Lead and I'll follow them. Or, I can just hand you my badge as soon as this investigation is over and that'll be that. I trusted my team to do what they do best, and they'll do it, not in spite of it being Gibbs, but _because_ of it."

His voice turned low. "Right now, in my original case, the two people I need to confirm what we found are in there. One's crying her eyes out, and she's sitting in the lap of the other one. So, either let my team do their jobs, or fire me," DiNozzo finished, almost out of breath.

Vance simply nodded, removed his toothpick, and turned on his heel, walking back to the waiting room. Behind him, he heard the machine being hit multiple times.

DiNozzo came in moments later, handing a candy bar to Palmer, Abby, and Ducky, who refused. Tony sat down, eating his candy bar, glaring at Vance, who was looking at him with heavily veiled, but newly found, respect.


	7. Tim's Investigation

A/N: Computer problems still abound. But, have no fear, aside from yesterday's missed update, there should be no more of those. Enjoy!

Chapter 6. Tim's Investigation

Ziva arrived at the hospital first. She simply stood in the doorway, watching everyone waiting for Gibbs to come out of surgery.

Vance looked up and noticed her, and he beckoned to DiNozzo that she had arrived. Both men stood and moved to where she was standing. She hid a small smile when she noticed that Tony's Five O'Clock shadow from dinner just hours ago was moving rapidly toward a light beard.

She shook her thoughts away as they approached. Vance was the first to get there, but DiNozzo was the first to speak, handing her a candy bar as he did. "Did you find the shovel, Ziva?"

She nodded. "It's down in the trunk of my car. The handle was cracked like we thought. We didn't find anything else in the car, but what we did find is in Abby's lab for processing."

Vance spoke next. "And what about Gibbs' accident?"

Ziva looked to DiNozzo, who closed his eyes and nodded. She spoke directly to DiNozzo. "When I got there, Sacks was in charge of the scene. I got through and saw the car. It was a mess. The entire driver's side was caved out. I don't know how they got Gibbs out of there."

"Caved _in, _Ziva," DiNozzo chuckled. She gave him an evil look, to which he just grinned back. He raised his eyebrow, out of sight of the Director, and she wiped the look off her face, looking down, chagrined. "What else?"

"I found some blood on the door handle on the passenger side. It looked like it the hand was wrapped around the handle. I took a swab of it. I also took some fingerprints. Sacks stood over me the entire time, but I took the samples with me. They're in the car as well," she finished.

It hadn't gone unnoticed by Vance that although he asked the question, she reported her findings to DiNozzo. "Good work, Officer David. DiNozzo, keep me informed on both cases," he ordered, before walking back to the rest.

Ziva followed him at a distance while DiNozzo opened his cell phone. Ziva went up to Abby and spoke softly to her, rubbing her back as she did.

DiNozzo came back as she stood. He motioned out into the hallway and spoke to Ducky. "I'm going down to look at the evidence Ziva got on her way over here. Call me if anything happens." Ducky nodded. DiNozzo leaned down and kissed Abby on top of her head and nodded to Palmer before corraling Ziva and moving her through the door and to the elevator.

Safely inside, the two placed their arms around each other, his head on top of hers, hers on his chest, just drawing comfort from the other's presence. Although the previous night's aborted escapades showed in a growth from Tony's pelvis. He tried to adjust himself away from her so she wouldn't notice, but she followed him with her groin. He could feel the smile she had on her face as he groaned in relief when the doors opened.

They stepped outside and made their way to the doors of the hospital. Ziva directed him to where she'd parked the Charger, having taken an NCIS car since it had much more storage room than her Mini.

After opening the trunk, DiNozzo pulled out the wrapped shovel, confirming that it was, indeed, a shovel. The reason for leaving the waiting room with Ziva now complete, he started to place it back into the trunk before noticing that on the edge of the blade had what he suspected was skin, hair, and blood.

Ziva held up the blood and fingerprint samples to him, smirking when he made it clear with his face that it wasn't what he was looking for. But, he looked at them, confirming that they appeared to be what she, and the evidence bags, said they were. He placed them back into the trunk and closed it before she could show him the tire iron, jack, or spare tire, and keep him from what he wanted to do. He grinned and raised an eyebrow as he moved to her.

As he leaned down to kiss her, and she leaned up to kiss him, they were interrupted, again.

"Tony," McGee yelled, closing his car behind them, "you'll never guess what I found."

"McGee, this had better be the most important thing you've ever found, or I'm going to head slap you so hard that by the time you wake up, your clothes will be in style again," DiNozzo grumbled.

"Oh, it is," McGee assured them. "First, I tracked down where Gibbs called from, using the GPS chip in his phone and triangulating the results I found with the local cell towers." He would have continued with how he used the cell towers to pinpoint the exact point, but DiNozzo's look silenced him on that point. "He was in front of the Director's house." At DiNozzo's questioning look, he continued, "Not Vance's. Director Shepard's."

Both DiNozzo and David looked very surprised at this.

"He was at Jenny's house? I thought it still hadn't been rebuilt yet," DiNozzo said.

"Nope, its still just the foundation, but they did clear the debris away." Tim's face split into a grin that threatened to rip his head in half as he continued. "But, that's not all I found. See, when I track where a call was made from, it tells me where the call was picked up at. Now, I know where I was when Gibbs called," Tim turned to Ziva, "Where were you?"

Ziva didn't bat an eyelash. "Tony invited me over for dinner and one of his movies. The credits had just started to roll when he called."

"So, that explains it, then," Tim said. Then his smile, if possible, got even bigger. "But, when I called Tony, he sounded really pissed. And, as you've said before Tony, the great part of DVDs is that you can pause and rewind if needed. But, you didn't react as if the movie was in the credits." He paused. "You two were having sex, weren't you?"

To cover Ziva's intake of breath, Tony jumped into the breach. "No, McPerv, we weren't having sex." It wasn't a lie. If he had called moments later, it would have been a lie. Semantics were very important to Tony and Ziva, especially at this point of their relationship.

Tim smirked. "How long?"

The two both realized that they couldn't keep it up. McGee was tenacious when he had his hooks into something, and it wouldn't take long before he sunk his hooks, and very significant computer skills into this, especially once he gave his thoughts to a certain goth who would stop at nothing to sink her even larger hooks into them.

A look passed between them, a silent conversation was had, and a decision reached, in the time it takes to blink an eye.

Ziva gave the answer. "Six months."

McGee's face went through a gamut of expressions. A wide smile that he had been right, a creased brow as to how they had hid it for so long, widened eyes when the amount of time finally hit.

Tony spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "One or two?"

"Six _months_?" Tim's voice had gone up _three _octaves.

"Yes, McGee," Tony said as he wrapped his arm around Ziva's waist and she laid her head on his chest. "Six months and one day to be exact, although the exact amount of time is apparantly up for debate," Tony said, grinning at Ziva, who glared back at him. Tony snickered and looked back at Tim, his expression changing to concern. "We haven't actually had sex yet, though. But, no matter how much this is going to make her feel better, you can't tell Abby. We don't want this out yet, and if Abby knows, the rest of the world will know quickly."

"Okay, I won't tell her, but you have to do something for me. Nothing special, just lay off the practical jokes. No more gluing parts of me to my desk or making me lose my pants...again."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other. "Deal," said Ziva, and they all shook on it.

"Guess congratulations are in order then," Tim said as they turned to go back into the hospital in silence. As they did, their thoughts were on the same subject.

_Six months,_ Tim thought._ How did they keep it a secret for so long? And not having sex? These two? I guess it must really be serious for the both of them to go without. And how am I going to explain it to Abby when she finds out that I knew about it before her and didn't tell her?_ McGee sighed. _I'm, a dead man._

_Six months, _Tony thought. _Normally by now, I've found the door five and a half months ago. I really don't want to mess this up. I've always equated girls with sex, and I guess Ziva was right, I needed a woman. Hell, if it would make it last, I'd go without sex until our wedding night. Wait, wedding night? Why am I thinking that?_ Tony sighed. _I'm dead._

_Six months. I never thought I'd make it this far. But, I do love him, and I love the man he's become over the past few years. He's gone from an irrepressible child to...well...a more grown up child. And he's getting better every day. How much longer can I hide this from Gibbs? _Ziva sighed. _I'm dead._

The elevator opened and the three stepped in. As soon as it did, Tim heard a giggle from Ziva, and turning to look, saw Tony kissing her nose with little pecks. "Aw, c'mon guys. I know that I know, you don't have to prove it right here in front of me."

Tony answered as his kisses moved over her face. "Better," _kiss, _"get," _kiss, _"used," _kiss, _"to," _kiss, _"it," _kiss, _"McGee," _kiss, _"because," _kiss, _"I," _kiss, _"like," _kiss, _"kissing," _kiss, _"Zi," _kiss, _"Vah," _kiss._

Tim turned back to stare at the numbers above the door, willing them to go faster when he heard Ziva. "Tony, maybe we should tell more people if you're going to be this amorous," she chuckled.

_Tim, they're doing it on purpose to get to you. Be strong._ Tim shook his head to get the visuals he was seeing out of his head. It wasn't working.

As the elevator chimed to let them know they had arrived at their floor, the two separated like two prize fighters at the end of a round. Their hands brushed as Ziva said, "Ti amo, Tony."

"Ani O'hev O'Tach, Ziva," he breathed.

As the doors opened, Tim was shaking his head, but stopped when he saw Abby waiting for them.

"He's coming out of surgery."


	8. Good and Bad News

Chapter 7. Good and Bad News

As the elevator doors closed behind them, Tony, Ziva, Abby, and Tim saw Ducky and Vance talking to a nurse. Palmer stood nearby, not part of the small group, but near enough to hear all that was being said.

As they approached, Ducky spoke to the new arrivals. "Jethro's coming out of surgery now, and going into the Recovery Unit. We'll be able to visit with him for a short time," Ducky was interrupted by the nurse.

"No more than twenty minutes total," she said, sternly.

"Yes, twenty minutes, and no more than two at a time.

"When will he get to his room," Abby asked, hoping it would be very soon.

"In about ten minutes," said the nurse. "I'll be back to take you there to see him when he's settled."

With that, she simply turned on her heel and walked off down the hall, her white sneakers squeaking as she stepped, almost raping the silence of the room.

At Tony's nod, Tim took Abby's hand and led her to a chair to wait, her sitting in his lap. She had yet to actually try any of the chairs. Palmer followed him, sitting beside them.

DiNozzo, David, Vance and Dr. Mallard moved just outside the room to talk. DiNozzo barely waited until they stepped outside before speaking. "Okay," he said, running a hand through his hair. "As soon as he's seen Gibbs, I'm going to send McGee home to get some sleep. Ziva, you're on first watch, keep Matthews out of the room." David nodded. "When McGee comes back, you go back to the office, and bring Abby with you. I still need her to run the evidence. I'll head back immediately, and, Ducky, I'd like you to go as well. I need to find out if what Palmer said is true."

Ducky nodded. "And I shall leave Mr. Palmer here so there is someone here that can translate the medical jargon." He looked down the hall to see a doctor in scrubs striding toward them. He noticed him from earlier. "Here comes Dr. Patel."

The doctor nodded to all of them and DiNozzo gestured him inside the room so he could give his report to all of them at once. They arrived where the three were sitting, Abby sitting up as they approached.

"I'm Dr. Patel, I'm the surgeon that's been working on Special Agent Gibbs' case. First of all, let me assure you the surgery went very well. We had to place pins and rods in most of the bones in his arms and legs to put them back together. He has three ribs broken, and one nicked his lung. We repaired that damage with no problems, and his chest is immobilized. We're also going to be keeping him in a medically induced coma for the time being to help him heal. We should know for sure in a day or so if we can try to bring him out of it."

Patel took a deep breath. This was going to be the hardest part, and it would probably hit the woman with black hair and raccoon eyes the hardest. "Special Agent Gibbs also came in with moderate swelling inside his cranium, pressing on his brain." He quickly continued, keeping his eyes on Abby the whole time. "This is normal with a head injury, and the swelling should go down in a few days. There's also a small amount of swelling in his neck, and we can't fully see if there is a bone injury there, at the C4 vertebra of the spinal cord." Abby took in a sharp breath and had tears welling in his eyes.

Patel laid a comforting hand on her knee, looking deep in her eyes. "There's no reason to believe that he's suffered any damage to it, aside from muscle and tendon strains. But, there is the possibility of it." As Patel was concentrating almost all his attention on Abby, he missed the looks Ducky was receiving. Ducky simply nodded that he'd explain it all in language they could understand as soon as the doctor left.

Patel continued. "We have no reason to believe he won't make a full recovery, but it will be hard for him. There's plenty of physical therapy he'll need to go through, just to learn to use the left side of his body again. But, six months from now, he'll be doing all that he was before, although the pins in his wrist, ankle, and knee may have to stay there for a long while." He smiled at Abby with his most reassuring face and stood up. "If you have any questions, here's my card," he said, giving one to Abby and the other to Ducky. "I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have."

He nodded to the group and moved off, making Abby feel relieved and worse at the same time. He was going to be fine, but he wasn't fine right now. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts of Gibbs that she almost missed Tim's whispered question.

"Ducky, what's the C4 vertebra do?" Ducky inclined his head toward Abby as to say, "I'll explain later."

Palmer missed the motion. "The C4 controls motor function from the neck down. Basically, if its broken, Gibbs could be paralyzed from the neck down." A gasping wail from Abby greeted that response, with Palmer quickly moving to cover himself. "But, I'm sure its not that bad, Abby. Gibbs is tougher than anyone I've ever seen before. He'll be fine."

Ducky glared at his assistant, who wisely placed his eyes on Tim's shoulder so he wouldn't have to see the glares he was receiving from everyone. Ducky stated, "Mr. Palmer, remind me to loan you my copy of _How to Win Friends and Influence People_. I believe the sections on tact would be most enlightening."

Ziva walked up to Abby and knelt before her. "Abby, Tony needs to talk to Tim, can you let him up for a moment?" Abby nodded, standing. Tim extracted himself from the chair and followed Tony, who was headed for the hallway.

Ziva sat down before Abby could and lifted her arms. Abby chuckled. "Ziva, I'm bigger than you, I'll crush you." Ziva simply smiled reassuringly and raised her arms slightly, beckoning the goth into the assassin's lap. Abby lightly landed on Ziva, causing her to expel a hard breath, making Abby giggle. As soon as Abby was settled onto the smaller woman's lap, Ziva started to hum to her softly.

"That's pretty, Ziva. What's it called," Abby asked.

"I do not know the name, but my mother used to hum it to me when I was not feeling well. It always calmed me. Is it doing the same for you," she asked.

"Yeah, it is. You must really miss your mom, huh?"

"Yes, there are many times when I do. But, for now, just rest, Abby." Ziva continued to hum softly until Tim returned.

He knelt before Abby and took her hand in his. "Abby, Tony is going to send me home once I see Gibbs. Then, I'm coming back in the morning to relive Ziva. Do you need me to bring you some clothes?"

Abby's mouth smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Please, Timmy. I have a couple of T-Shirts in your drawers, along with some pants. Just one of each, please." Tim's eyes glanced at Ziva in minor horror. Ziva just smirked.

"Uh...I...That is...We..." McGee was spared further embarrassment by the nurses return.

As they made their way toward the Recovery Wing of the ICU, DiNozzo caught up with the nurse. They were in groups going down the hall, DiNozzo and the nurse in the lead, Vance and Ducky behind them, Abby flanked by Ziva and Tim, and Palmer and Matthews bringing up the rear.

"Hey there, Nurse..."

"Kitteridge."

"Nurse Kitteridge. Can I call you Kitt?" At the look she gave him, he wisely said, "Guess not. Listen," he said, flashing her his patented 'DiNozzo Grin'. "I need a huge favor from you. See that woman back there," he said, turning to point to Abby, who was holding hands with Ziva and Tim. The nurse looked back, nodded, and he continued. "She's very important to Special Agent Gibbs. See, Gibbs was involved in some Counter-Intelligence missions years ago. Two of them, not even the Secretary of Defense has the clearance to know about them. The only woman who does, is her," he said pointing back to Abby, who had overheard enough to pull herself together and look like what she thought a Counter-Intelligence Agent should.

The nurse looked back at her, then gave Tony a "do I look that stupid" look.

Undaunted, Tony smiled even bigger, and plowed forward. "Have you ever seen M*A*S*H?" Kitteridge nodded. "Remember Colonel Flagg?" She nodded again. "Remember the time he had to go in for surgery but couldn't be put under because he might say something that would jeopardize Americans?" She nodded a third time. "That's where Gibbs is. There should have been someone in the operating theater with him, but we couldn't get anyone here fast enough. But, we can fake it if we can see the tapes that would confirm that he didn't speak while he was under." Kitteridge didn't look like she was believing a word, but nodded once again.

Behind them, Ducky and Vance were trying to keep straight faces just in case she turned back and saw them. They both knew how important it was to Abby for her to be there, and they didn't want to take the chance that a look could deny her that.

Tony turned up his smile and went in for the kill. "So, basically, to keep my boss happy, and his boss, the Secretary of the Navy, happy, we can fix it if she's let into the room with Gibbs until he wakes. She's a forensic scientist, so she knows all about staying sterile. She won't break any hospital protocols, and she won't get in the way," he said, turning around. "Will you, Abs?" Abby quickly shook her head, while next to her, both Ziva and Tim had on their 'game faces' to not give it away. All five that could hear Tony were very impressed with the amount of bull he was shoveling at her, while at the same time, they admired the thought behind it.

"She'll have to be in scrubs, gloved, and masked at all times. No exceptions," Kitteridge said. "I'll be right across the hall, and there's a camera in the room. If anything happens, I'll kick her out of the hospital and not allow her back." Nurse Kitteridge turned. "Is that clear, Ma'am?" Abby smiled and nodded her head emphatically. Kitteridge took a deep breath. "Fine. I know I'm going to regret this," Kitteridge mumbled. She pointed to a room to their left. "It's that room."

Ducky and Vance had to catch themselves from falling as they were both bumped by a speeding goth. Ziva felt her shoulder may have become separated, but Tim was wise enough, and had known her well enough, to let go of Abby's hand once he saw they had arrived.

Kitteridge gave DiNozzo a look that could freeze fire, and quickly made her way to the central desk, just two doors down. Tony simply smiled bigger at her, trying to finally charm the woman. As he turned away, he knew it hadn't worked, but it was distracting enough to get Abby where she needed to be.

DiNozzo pointed to Matthews. "Your post will be the desk with Nurse Ratchet. Bring a chair for Ziva. You sit out here, Zi."

Inside the room, Abby finally made it to Gibbs' bedside.

_Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod, Gibbs. You're really hurt. I feel so bad for you. You have to get better. Tony's doing you again, and I don't think this time Ziva will be able to hold herself back from killing him._

_So, you gotta be okay. Besides, you're the only one who really gets me. I mean, Tony does sometimes, and Tim does when we're talking technical computer things, but you get me all the time even when you're not happy with me and you don't bring me Caff-Pows and it makes me sad but I know you need the information as soon as possible and I try so hard to not let you down and then when I do have it you're always right there behind me with a Caff-Pow and kissing me on the cheek and telling me "Good job, Abs."_

_Wow...even thinking it I need to take a breath._

_You gotta get better. You know what, I'm just going to sit in this chair until you wake up and then you'll see someone you know. Please remember us. You know us, you do._

_Please, Gibbs._

Vance looked at DiNozzo. "I'll go next. I need to get back to the office. There's a mountain of paperwork on this one, and the sooner it's done, the sooner I can go home to my family." DiNozzo nodded, not that he had a choice.

Vance stepped in.

_Well, Jethro. What is it with you and getting put into comas? How many is this now, three?_

_I really need you back, Jethro. I don't think I can handle DiNozzo alone. He's insubordinate, cocky, and so sure of himself. If he wasn't right, it'd be too much to take._

_Look. I know we have rarely seen eye to eye. You're pissed at me for splitting up your team for the mole hunt, most of all for me not telling you. But, I had faith in you. That's why I didn't put them with a new Team Leader from San Diego, who I know much better. I trusted you, because of our history together, more than I trusted them._

_But, I can't control DiNozzo. I need you back._

_Please, Jethro._

As Vance exited the room, he nodded before moving toward the elevators. Tony nodded his head toward the door while looking at McGee. "Ducky, you're next. Jimmy, tell him what you found."

Palmer started to explain as McGee moved passed them. "You see, Dr. Mallard, it all has to do with his head..."

_Hey, Boss. God, I hate hospitals, probably more than you do._

_Uh...this is probably the easiest way to tell you this, but you're Rule Twelve has been trampled like a bunch of kids in a bubble wrap factory. You probably already knew it, you seem to know everything._

_But, we need some info from you, too. Why were you at Director Shepard's house? I tracked you from there, but the problem with what I do is that I don't know why you were there. And I need to know. Not for me, but because my gut is telling me that it has something to do with this case._

_C'mon, Boss. Abby really needs you right now. She especially needs you to remember us. Okay, not just her, we all do. I'd take a million head slaps if you'd just wake up._

_Please, Boss._

Ducky ducked inside as Tim came out. He seemed lost in thought as he stepped into the hallway. He shook himself out and looked at DiNozzo. "You okay, McGee?" He nodded, but didn't speak. "Come back here at about 0900, bring your laptop just in case I need something.. Ziva's going to take Abby back with her." He looked at Ziva. "You can get some sleep when you get there, just make sure Abby takes at least a nap."

"America has made me soft, but I can still work a case with no sleep, as long as I have some of my tea," Ziva said, chuckling.

Tim leaned down to her. "Do you need any clothes, Ziva?"

"No, McGee. I haven't had a reason to get these dirty...yet," she said with a seductive grin aimed at Tony. McGee just closed his eyes and sighed. He nodded and walked down the hall.

_Well, Jethro. I see your doctor did a great job on you. Vitals look weak, but stable and improving. The medication is the proper for your condition._

_You know, I can count on one hand the number of times I've come to visit you when you've been the one surrounded by medical equipment. It reminds me of a time when I was in medical school. My father, a laborer, would come to visit me often, and one day he had the bad luck to come visit on a day when we were doing dissections. You can guess how many times after that he came for a visit. _

_Then, just after I got my medical degree, he had to go into the hospital after a heart attack. He simply looked at me and pointed to his chart. I read it and told him what it meant and how he was doing. He'd said it before, but I think that's the proudest he's ever been of me._

_Abagail will not let anything happen to you while you're in here. You just get better._

_Please, Jethro._

Ducky moved away, taking one last look at the monitors before joining the rest in the hallway. "Anthony, I do believe I'll need Mr. Palmer to show me what he found. As I recall, the poor lad's head was in numerous pieces, and I'll need him to help me put it back together." DiNozzo nodded and looked at Palmer, pointing to the room. Palmer looked surprised that he should go in, but didn't hesitate.

_Agent Gibbs. Um...I'm not sure what to say. _

_We're not that close, most times I think you don't even notice I'm there, then you do something to make sure that I get recognized, most often for doing something wrong._

_Dr. Mallard has often said that he took a long time to become your friend, but he respected you within five minutes. I feel the same. I hope someday we can become friends. I really do._

_Please, Agent Gibbs._

Palmer exited and stood next to Ducky. Ducky doffed an imaginary hat and moved to exit the hospital, leaving only Tony and Ziva.

"You go, I will be here all night, and you have a case to solve."

Tony smiled at her gently and moved off the wall he'd been resting against.

_Hey, Boss. How you doin? Dumb question, I know._

_This reminds me of a movie. Well, actually, alot of movies. Seems a hospital is a great place for drama. But, you've rarely cared about movies._

_Guess there's no easy way to say this. I love Ziva. I know all about Rule Twelve, and how you and Jenny were the reason you made it. But, we're not you and Jenny. Hell, we've been going out six months and haven't even had sex. We almost did last night, but you and McGee called. OW! Hey, I wasn't being judgemental. There's plent of time for us to have sex. OW! Boss, that one really hurt._

_Just get better. I feel like I'm holding them together with sheer willpower. I could really use some guidance._

_Please, Boss._

Tony walked out of the room, kneeling down next to Ziva. His face was gently caressed by Ziva, who knew the pain he was going through. He gently kissed her cheek and stood. A complete conversation passed between them in a moment before Tony turned away. As he mad his way past the desk, he again smiled broadly at Nurse Kitteridge, who shot daggers at him in response.

Ziva stood at the doorway for a full minute. She saw the tubes hooked up to him, the wires going to the machines, the casts covering his entire left side, leaving only his fingertips and toes visible. She saw Abby, now clad in scrubs, and finally asleep, lightly snoring. She smiled at her friend and stepped away from the door, going to the desk to find out if they had any magazines for her to read while she waited.


	9. Answers and More Questions

Chapter 8. Answers and More Questions

The elevator dinged just before the doors opened. Ziva and Abby came out, Abby holding a bag with her clothes in it. They both made their way to the bull pen, both dropping their bags behind Ziva's desk when they reached it.

Abby fell into Ziva's chair, exhaustion still written all over her face. She laid her head back as Ziva powered up her computer and checked her messages. There was only one, and she slammed the button on the phone just after it started.

Abby smiled. "I hate those too. I mean, how on earth can they know my car warranty is about to expire?"

Ziva chuckled as she signed on to her computer. "They cannot. It is a hook to get you to pick up. I did once and got the young man's name. I had Tim do a search on him and put out an APB on him for extortion of a Federal Agent." Abby chuckled. "After his boss called me to find out why, my home and cell phone were taken off their lists. Apparently, I need to do it again to get my work number off it as well." The venom in her voice would have scared Abby, if it had been directed at her.

Instead she chuckled. "Can you do the same for me?"

Ziva started to nod before she looked up in surprise.

"What is Ziva going to do, Abs," Tony asked as he stood at the separator next to Ziva's desk, taking a sip of coffee.

Ziva sighed. "Tony, you are not Gibbs. You do not have to sneak down on us."

"Sneak 'up', Zi. And I wasn't sneaking. I just happened to walk up when you two were talking." He moved to his own desk, sitting down behind it.

Abby spoke up. "Tony, why am I here? I should be at the hospital, not in Ziva's chair." She turned to the chair's owner. "Which is really comfortable, Ziva. I need to get one of these tailbone pillows for my lab, I think."

Ziva smiled, seeing that Tony had been right about Abby. If she was back in the office, she'd start to come out of her crying fits. Although the fight to get her to leave almost caused her to handcuff the goth woman and drag her kicking and screaming.

"I will take you to the store to purchase one of your own, Abby," Ziva chuckled as she finished checking her e-mail.

Tony smiled at the two women, the two most important women in his life. "Abs, I need you to go over the shovel that Reynolds says he his Carmichael with."

Abby almost exploded. "You brought me here to work on the Carmichael Case?" She stood. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, you are no longer one of my favorite people," she stated as she moved toward the elevator. Just before she stepped on, she stuck her tongue out at Tony, who chuckled once the doors closed.

"She does have a point, Tony. It is not like Reynolds is going anywhere anytime soon."

"When she gets down there, she'll also see that Fornell dropped off the evidence from inside Gibbs' car." The elevator dinged and opened again, three men stepping out. "Speak of the devil. Toby. How are you." DiNozzo noticed the man next to him, and more importantly, the state his hands were in. "He's cuffed? Is this my birthday?" DiNozzo shook his head. "No, its not. When's yours? You're getting something really nice. Or is Christmas first? Either way, its an X-Files gift set for you, every season."

DiNozzo finally noticed the third man, hidden behind Fornell. He glared at the Senior FBI Agent. "I take that back, Toby. It's coal in your stocking for this." He finally looked at the third man. "Agent _Slacks_. Nice to see you again. Not."

"It's _Sacks_, DiNozzo. And I'm not here of my own volition. But, I'm the one who cuffed Mr. Kort here, so I'm the one who has to stay with him."

"And, since he's still in our custody, and we sent all the evidence to Ms. Scuito, I figured we'd interrogate Kort here, DiNutso."

DiNozzo stood. "Oh, no. You brought him to NCIS, not to the Hoover Building. We'll interrogate him."

"We can decide this in a minute. Sacks, take Mr. Kort down to Interrogation. We'll meet you down there." Sacks nodded and shoved Kort, who had yet to say a word, although his glare directed at DiNozzo spoke volumes. Before they got out of sight, DiNozzo caught Ziva's eyes and nodded his head in their direction. She stood and hurried off to catch up with the two men.

As she left, Tony took a moment to admire her, leering as he did. His mind was caught up in his own thoughts. He didn't notice that his unseeing gaze was aimed very near Special Agent Fornell of the FBI.

Fornell chuckled. "DiNutso, that look may work on David, probably even on McGee, but you're just not my type."

DiNozzo grinned as he gathered up some papers on his desk. "The Director wanted to see us when you got here." Fornell waved his arm, indicating DiNozzo to lead the way.

They climbed the stairs and crossed the catwalk, entering the outer office and not pausing as DiNozzo reached for the door handle. Vance's secretary made as if to stop them, but they were both through the door before he could. "Worse than Gibbs, at least he nods to me," the secretary mumbled under his breath.

As they stepped into the office, DiNozzo made straight for the conference table. Fornell waited until Vance came around his desk and shook his hand before moving to sit next to DiNozzo. Vance took the chair at the other end of the table.

He addressed Fornell first. "I spoke with your director. He has no problem with you and your team being TAD to us until you're ready to turn it over to DiNozzo."

Fornell nodded. "You should know that we've made two arrests. First is Mike Davis. He's the guy driving the truck. He's down in your lock up now. The bill of lading was signed by Trent Kort, who we just brought in. Sacks and David just took him down to Interrogation. I don't know if they're related, or if it's just coincidence, but, and I think I've been around Jethro too long, but I don't believe in coincidences."

DiNozzo chuckled. "Me either." He sat forward. "We know Reynolds didn't kill Carmichael. I've got Abby looking at the shovel Ziva found, and she should have some answers soon. I'll keep you updated. Ducky's piecing together Carmichael's head, to see if there is an injury that would coincide with that."

Vance nodded. He turned back to Fornell. "Where are you taking your investigation?"

"At the moment, Director, we're still just questioning witnesses and gathering evidence. Gibbs' car is in your garage along with the truck cab. The trailer is at the FBI, there just wasn't enough room. We're inventorying it, but I can tell you that no weapons were found, only spare parts for vehicles and ships."

DiNozzo perked up. "Hold on a minute. We know that Kort took over the operations after ___La Grenouille's _death. What if Kort was buying from Carmichael?" His eyes shot open and he stood suddenly. "Director, Fornell, can you excuse me for a moment, I need to make a couple of calls."

He walked out the door without waiting for a response, pulling out his phone as he walked. Vance and Fornell just looked at each other. Fornell chuckled. "Glad he's NCIS' problem, not mine." Vance just looked down at the table.

On the catwalk, DiNozzo finished dialing and waited for McGee to pick up.

"_Yeah, McGee._"

"McGee, what was the name of the back where the money to Carmichael originated?"

"_Uh, give me a second to pull that up. Here it is. _Credit Guiana_. It's a medium sized bank in French Guiana."_ There was a moment's pause as DiNozzo heard typing. "_Wait a minute, the account is owned by _La Grenouille_. It's the account he used for all North and South American sales._"

DiNozzo was making his way to the elevators at a quick pace. "McGee, trace the money back. Look at the account and let me know how many times money left that account and where it went to."

"_On it Boss...I mean, Tony,_" DiNozzo could hear the chagrin in McGee's voice as he grinned.

"How's Gibbs?"

"_Docs say they're going to take him off the meds that are keeping him comatose either tonight or tomorrow. Once they do that, they're going to move him to the ICU._"

"Great news," DiNozzo said as he stepped off and moved to Abby's lab. "Keep me informed."

In the hospital, McGee heard a click as he started to say, "You got it, Tony." He looked at his phone and shook his head. _Just like Gibbs._

DiNozzo entered Abby's lab, standing at the door for a moment trying to figure out what was wrong. He saw Abby, wearing her lab coat, her hair falling around her neck, at her computer, various pieces of data streaming across it. Bert the Hippo was in his customary place, between the monitor Abby was using and the one next to it, sitting dark. To his left, her machines were whirring and spinning, testing whatever tubes she'd placed in them. It took him almost a full minute before he realized what it was.

"Abs," she turned at his voice. "No music?"

"No, Tony. No music until Gibbs can come down here and turn it off himself."

"What do you have?"

"The skin, blood, and hair on the shovel definitely came from Carmichael. I also pulled a small amount of skin epithelials from the handle, and matched them to Reynolds. I'm now running the DNA from Gibbs' car." Her voice caught at the end, making DiNozzo send his heart to his surrogate sister.

At that moment, the computer beeped. As the image came up on the screen, both eyes opened widely. Both spoke in hushed tones.

"Wow. This is the ultimate in hinky."

"Yeah, it is. Check it again for me, Abs."

"You got it, Tony."

DiNozzo started to walk away. He got as far as the door before he was held back by Abby's voice.

"Tony," he turned. "You were right. Me at the hospital was a mess. Here, I can help find out what happened." She smiled. "How did you get so smart?"

DiNozzo let out a bark of laughter. "Learned from the best." He moved to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Good work, Abs." He moved to the door again, but stopped. "Abs, Gibbs would love the pigtails."

Abby smiled and took off her gloves as she gathered up her hair. DiNozzo smiled as he moved out of the doorway and pushed the call button for the elevator.

Abby turned back to her computer, catching sight of a Caff-Pow that hadn't been there before. She, smiling, turned back to where she heard him enter the elevator. "He learned well."

The elevator opened just outside of Autopsy. DiNozzo moved quickly inside. As he cleared the door, he spoke. "What do you have, Ducky?"

"Ah, Anthony. We are almost finished with the jigsaw puzzle that this unfortunate Petty Officer's head became. We should be done with it within the hour, isn't that correct, Mr. Palmer?" Palmer, surprised, looked up and simply nodded. "Yes, we should have answers for you soon, Anthony. I hope we can give you the answer you want, but if not, I will do my best to guess."

DiNozzo chanced a glance at Palmer, who's eyes widened as he took in fully what Ducky just said. If they got the answer he wanted, it came from both of them. If not, it was all on Ducky. Palmer knew that he'd been wise to turn down the job he'd been offered a year ago in Philadelphia, even though it offered more money and opportunity.

"Keep up the good work, Palmer," DiNozzo said as he walked out.

"Now, Jimmy, do you suppose we have enough to figure out where this piece goes, yet?"

DiNozzo left the elevator and walked down the hall to Interrogation. He nodded to Ziva to follow him into Observation, where he came face to face with both Vance and Fornell.

"Agent DiNozzo. You didn't come back, but we figured you'd end up here. What did you find out?"

DiNozzo looked behind him to see Ziva closing the door before he started to brief Vance. He only left out the DNA results, wanting confirmation before he did. Behind him, he heard Ziva make a call for more agents to guard the doors.

After briefing Vance, all four moved to the window. Sacks entered and walked up behind them, whispering that the other agents had arrived to answer Ziva's summons. Vance and Fornell nodded, but DiNozzo and David were both staring at the man on the other side of the glass.

They looked at each other for a moment before Ziva handed her phone to DiNozzo and moved out the door. Moments later, she walked in and sat before Kort. She stared at him a moment before opening her folder.

"Mr. Kort, is this your signature?"


	10. Pieces Coming Together

Chapter 9. Pieces Coming Together

Vance, Sacks, and Fornell divided their time between Ziva interrogating Kort and DiNozzo. DiNozzo divided his time between Ziva interrogating Kort and his phone. The other three men all thought that it appeared that DiNozzo was almost willing his phone to ring.

After an hour, DiNozzo sent a message to Ziva's PDA, telling her to take a break. And in no way did Ziva even allude to Gibbs being targeted.

When she entered Observation, DiNozzo simply looked at her and answered her unasked question. "You could have questioned him for days and never get a real answer. Besides, aside from the bill of lading, we don't know what questions to ask, yet."

Ziva only nodded and left the room, mumbling about having to use the "little women's room." DiNozzo felt his gut churn. It wasn't indigestion. Something was missing. He had started to trust his gut more and more lately, especially since Gibbs' "vacation" and subsequent return. And right now, it was screaming at him.

"I'm headed for coffee," he said, making his way to the door. The rest decided to stretch their legs, but none were fast enough to catch DiNozzo as he stepped into the elevator. He pressed a button without even thinking, just letting his body take him where it wanted to.

This time, it took him to autopsy. As he entered, his mind was miles ahead of his body, and it took him a moment to bring it back.

"Good morning, Anthony. Mr. Palmer," Ducky said, looking at his assistant, "could you brief Anthony while I wash up?"

"Certainly, Doctor," a surprised Palmer said. DiNozzo nodded to Ducky as he passed him, grinning at him at the real reason for him stepping outside. Ducky had been grooming Palmer for years, and with Palmer almost done with his studies, he was ready for him to take over his own autopsy lab, except for confidence. DiNozzo inspired that confidence more than Gibbs did, and the two had been tag teaming Palmer, without his knowledge, for the past eight months.

"What do you have, Jimmy," DiNozzo asked as he stepped up to the table.

"Well, Tony, Dr. Mallard and I can say for certain that Carmichael was hit with a hard metal object. It could be a shovel, but there are no identifying marks, aside from a slight concave shape to the pieces of the skull we put back together. It's not one hundred percent, but it's really close. We're still missing some of the pieces."

DiNozzo nodded and moved to where the x-rays were mounted. "Show me," he ordered gently.

Palmer started to point to the pieces of bone they had replaced, and the shape they showed. "The hit was hard enough that even if he hadn't been shot, he wouldn't have lived. Dr. Mallard is pretty sure that the cracking on the skull was enough to kill, or at least make him an life long invalid."

"Is that what you both think, or do you disagree?"

"I agree, although I don't have Dr. Mallard's experience to know for certain."

"Then say that, Jimmy. Put yourself out there, okay? Don't be afraid to take a chance."

Palmer nodded. There was a pause while both studied the x-rays. "I don't fully agree. I think it would have killed him slowly, but he wouldn't have made it to a hospital."

DiNozzo nodded and smiled as he turned away. "Good work, Jimmy." He knew, without looking back that Palmer's face was stretched in a wide smile. As he stepped to the elevators again, his phone rang.

"DiNozzo," he said once it was open.

"_Tony, its McGee. I did some checking into Homeland Security's intraweb. There's no sign that Carmichael ever left the country, although we do have copies of the forms he supposedly signed. There's no way he could have set up the account in Geneva._"

DiNozzo stepped into the elevator. "Then who did?" Once it got moving, he stopped it so he wouldn't be interrupted until he was done talking to McGee.

"_I checked the entire roster of personnel at the warehouse. The only person that came up was the Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Aaron Davis. He took leave at the time the account was set up and he is on the Customs exit list headed to the Bahamas, and entering from Switzerland._"

"Good work, McGee. I need you back here. Work with Abby and locate every penny of that money."

"_Wait, Tony, there's more. I checked the signature card that we found in Carmichael's security deposit box, again. The signature was of someone right handed._"

DiNozzo's eyes opened a little bit wider. "And Carmichael was left handed. How did we miss that?"

He could hear McGee shrug over the phone. "_We were sure we found our guy. I'm headed back now, one of the agents will sit in the room in case Gibbs wakes, he knows to call if anything changes. I gave him my number, just in case._"

"Good work, McGee," DiNozzo said as he started to hang up. Then a thought hit him. "Wait, McGee. Does Commander Davis have any relatives?"

"_Yeah, a cousin named Michael. He works for the CIA._"

Alarm bells went off in DiNozzo's head. "Let me amend that, McGee. Great work. Get your ass back here as quick as you can. Drive like Ziva. I'll get Abby started before you get here, then you take the lead."

With that, he hung up and started the elevator again, headed to the Forensics Lab. McGee didn't even try to answer, knowing that he'd hang up now that his orders were given.

As DiNozzo stepped into the lab, he dialed Ziva's cell phone.

"_Ziva._"

"Ziva, get over to the warehouse and pick up Lieutenant Commander Aaron Davis. He's the XO. Take Sacks with you."

She looked at the phone in amusement and mild fury. He'd hung up on her. On _her_. When this was over, revenge would be the order of the day. And it would be sweet. As she found Sacks and told him what they would be doing she had a pleasantly horrible thought. _At least I can take some of it out on him. _"I am driving."

Sacks, for his part, looked completely horrified when he realized what those three words entailed. He was glad he hadn't eaten recently, knowing her driving habits. They weren't leaving the Navy Yard, but it was far enough for Ziva to get the car up to light speed at least.

DiNozzo entered the lab, finding Abby in her office, working on her computer. She looked up as the doors to the office opened. "Tony, the results came back. I also checked the fingerprints. They were right the first time."

DiNozzo nodded, wondering how he would find a ghost. He didn't ask if she was sure. She would have run the test again just in case. But to ask her to confirm a third time would be insulting to her.

"McGee is one his way back. Looks like Carmichael didn't set up the account, the XO of the warehouse did. McGee's going to track the money as far as he can. I want you to start, then when he gets here, take a different tack, and see where any other money from the originating account has gone to. I think Kort's involved in this more than we think he is, and I want to make sure."

Abby nodded and moved to her lab computers. She turned on the one McGee would use when he got there, and she would turn it over to him when he arrived. DiNozzo sat on the edge of her office desk, deep in thought.

Anyone watching him would imagine that he was sleeping almost upright, head hung, eyes closed, breathing deeply. But, his mind was whirling with the possibilities this case was bringing.

He suddenly stood and moved out the door, striding purposefully and ignoring Abby, except for a quick kiss on her cheek. She was almost too engrossed in her computer to notice. Almost. A small grin crossed her face, leaving quickly as DiNozzo moved out of sight.

DiNozzo, for his part, didn't even realize he was moving. His mind was still on the case while his body was on autopilot. He tried to fit together all the pieces he had and connect them to the new parts of the case. Not for the first time, he wished Gibbs was there so he could bounce ideas off him like they always did. No one else knew, except Abby and Ducky, that the two would meet secretly and discuss the case. Enough of their cases were solved this way that they continued the practice, just in case. Even when one was out of town on a case, and the other still in D.C., they would talk on the phone about the case.

Suddenly DiNozzo found himself in front of two men. The two men were NCIS Probationary Agents, and they were guarding the door to Interrogation Room Two. He stepped past them and opened the door to Observation. That was when he noticed that the hand he tried to open the door with held a cup of coffee.

He'd gone from Abby's lab, to the coffee shop, back to Interrogation, and hadn't realized it. He took a deep breath to clear his head before stepping inside.

He was greeted by two new people. Vance and Fornell had returned from Vance's office, as had Ziva and Sacks. In the window to Interrogation Two, he saw a man in a khaki uniform sitting at the desk. But, it was the two men in Observation that held his attention.

One was a tall, well built, regal looking man with silver hair. His expensive suit was instantly noticed by DiNozzo. In fact, aside from the facial features, he could have been DiNozzo's father. This instantly put DiNozzo on alert before he glanced at the other man. Shorter, heftier, and younger, the black man didn't have to say where he was from. It was obvious from his carriage.

The older man took a small step forward, and his bearing made everyone's eyes look to him. "I'm Deputy Director of Operations for the CIA, Carter Johnson. This is Special Agent Ted Johnson, Trent Kort's control officer. No relation."

Everyone's eyes turned to DiNozzo as he snickered lightly. He looked slightly embarrassed as he simply said, "Die Hard." Vance and Fornell shook their heads in despair, but not able to hide the small grins on their faces. The two Johnsons and Ziva chuckled. Sacks looked slightly murderous toward DiNozzo, but that look hadn't changed in the entire time they'd known each other.

DiNozzo looked between the two CIA men. "Guess you're here for Kort, then."

DDO Johnson shook his head, surprising everyone except for Vance and Fornell. He smiled as he stated, "You see, we're in a bit of a bureaucratic quandary. The FBI arrested him, but he's being held by NCIS. Normally, we'd cut through the red tape and just take him back, but Director Vance has been enlightening us to his recent activities. In light of that, we're in a wait and see mode at the moment."

You could have knocked DiNozzo, Sacks, and David over with a feather. DiNozzo was the one to put it into words. "Is up, down? Black, white? Is Sean Connery not the best Bond?"

Vance chuckled. "They've given us twelve hours to solve this before they take him back, DiNozzo. Its now 11 AM. We wasted a half hour waiting for you. So, let's get something going, shall we?"

DiNozzo nodded as he turned to Ziva. "Any problems with Davis?"

"None. I was even impressed with Agent Sacks. We went in to arrest him, but once he saw us, he screwed for the door."

Everyone, except the CIA men, all said at once, "Bolted."

She gave a withering and murderous glance at everyone before continuing. "If you know what I meant, why correct me?" DiNozzo was the only one with the guts, or lack of sense, to chuckle. He stopped sheepishly when her look was confined to just him. "When Davis _bolted_ for the door, we gave chase. He was headed down a hallway, but apparently Agent Sacks found a short cut. By the time I exited the building, he had Commander Davis pinned to his car. He had beaten me there. I was impressed with him."

Sacks puffed up slightly. He had no idea that the smaller woman's compliment would mean so much. But, knowing what he knew of her, and what else he had heard, hearing it made him realize how much it meant for her to even say it.

DiNozzo nodded at her, then at Sacks. Then, he whispered in Ziva's ear and she quickly left the room.

DiNozzo stood at the window for a few minutes, regarding Davis. He was a slightly balding man with thick glasses. He looked like what DiNozzo would see in his mind when someone described a person as a "nerd" or a "geek." He remembered Lieutenant Napleton. He reminded DiNozzo of a male version of her. He hoped Davis wouldn't be as boring or uptight as she was.

DiNozzo stepped out and ran into Ziva. She handed him the file and a bottle of water. He made his way into Interrogation Two as Ziva entered Observation.


	11. Amateur Hour

A/N: Due to Gremlins in FF's system, this is being reuploaded. New chapter this afternoon/evening.

Chapter 10. Amateur Hour

Lieutenant Commander Davis jumped as DiNozzo slammed open the door. He looked up at the taller man and subtly cringed. DiNozzo noted this for later.

"Lieutenant Commander Aaron Davis?" Davis nodded. "I'm Special Agent DiNozzo, NCIS. But, you probably already figured that out." Davis nodded again. DiNozzo sat across from him. He opened the file and rifled through the contents, not doing much more than making a lot of noise.

"Okay, Commander, can you tell me why you're here?"

Davis started upset, and went from there. "I can. Because that man assaulted me. I was simply going home for the day when I'm attacked at my car by someone claiming to be a Federal Agent. Then he, and some woman, threw me in their car and drove me here. The entire time, making allusions to breaking my bones. And that driving. Who taught her to drive? Who let her have a license? Dear God, I did a ride along with NASCAR and didn't feel as scared."

DiNozzo wiped away some spittle that flew across the table. "Do you wish to lodge a complaint with her superior?"

"You're God damned right I do. That woman is a menace to decent people everywhere."

"Okay. I'm her superior, it's been noted." He started to write on a piece of paper, speaking out loud as he did so. "'Ziva should drive suspects more often.' There. Now, what about the real reason you're here?"

"I told you. I was leaving for the day when I was kidnapped," he yelled.

"Leaving for the day? It's not even noon, and its Tuesday. Can we switch jobs," DiNozzo asked with a smile. Internally he amended his thoughts on Davis. _Not a geek. Far too annoying to be a geek._

"Yes, I was leaving early," he said as his eyes dropped slightly.

"You weren't, by any chance, running from those Federal Agents, were you," DiNozzo asked, sarcastic innocence in his voice.

"No. I happened to see them as I was making my way out the door. But, I wasn't running from them."

DiNozzo sat in silence for a moment, simply staring at Davis. No emotion on his face, his mask fully in place. Davis started to shift in the chair as he looked at him. His eyes started to roam the room, but with little to look at, his eyes always came back to DiNozzo.

DiNozzo suddenly sat forward on the table and Davis jumped back. "Whoa, hold on there, Speedy. I'm not gonna smack you around. Relax. I just want to know if you know this man," DiNozzo said as he pulled out a photo of Carmichael.

"Sure. SK3 Carmichael. He works in the warehouse. Don't know him well," Davis stated, his eyes again bouncing away.

"Really," DiNozzo pulled out a piece of paper. "You didn't go personally to his former commanding officer to get him promoted?"

Davis sucked in a breath. "Oh, yeah. Forgot about that. We were stationed at Pearl Harbor together. I was a brand new Lieutenant and he was in my Section. I was going over the personnel when I noticed that he hadn't been promoted to Seaman when he should have been. So, when the Personnel Office wasn't any help, I went to the Base Commander about it."

"And Carmichael thought so highly of you that he asked you to read his promotion warrant? Just for getting him promoted?"

"That's the way he was," he paused, "I guess. I don't really know him, Agent DiNozzo. We didn't socialize much."

"Ah, that must explain it. He was just grateful to you for getting him promoted. Is that why you killed him?"

Davis' face went white. "What? I never...I...He...I didn't know he was dead," he sputtered.

"Really? Because someone," DiNozzo pulled out the autopsy photo of Carmichael, slamming it on the counter as he raised his voice, "put a bullet in his head. And that person was you, wasn't it, Commander?" DiNozzo thought Davis might faint. "Was it before or after he found out about your little money making scheme?"

"Carmichael never knew what I was doing." Davis' eyes shot open, then slammed shut as he realized what he had just said.

DiNozzo paused for several seconds as he stared right into his face. "And what were you doing, Commander?" Davis closed his eyes, realizing that he'd just screwed up. "Why Carmichael?"

Davis snorted. "Because I could. I knew he was gay. He made a pass at me in Pearl Harbor at a club out in town. He was drunk, but I saw him do it again, successfully, to another Petty Officer a few weeks later. I held it over him, either help me or get discharged in a way that would make it impossible for him to get any decent job."

"And what did he get out of this? Aside from your silence, that is," DiNozzo asked.

Davis hung his head. "Just that. My silence. I got him to sign the papers to set up the bank accounts. In return, I'd never mention that he was gay."

"How did it start," DiNozzo asked quietly.

"My cousin, Mike, lives in D.C. Just after I got here, before I checked into the base, we got to talking about our futures. We both realized that we'd never make enough money working for the government, but what could we do? He mentioned that he knew a guy who knew a guy who could maybe set something up for us.

"A few weeks later, he said it was all set up, all I had to do was set up the accounts and divert supplies to him and we'd both be rich. This was mine. I deserved it. Thirteen years in the Navy, and nothing to show for it. Wife left me for some rich guy in Hawaii, took the kids with her. I don't get visitation because we don't live in the same state.

"This was my time. All those rich CEOs who do nothing but sell their souls for a dollar, this was mine. This was my yacht, my trip to the Caribbean, my villa on some tropical island. I earned this, and the Navy didn't care. So why should I care about it," he shouted, collapsing back in his chair, crossing his arms.

DiNozzo wiped some more spittle from his face. "How long was this going on?"

"Just started. Little under a year. Within another three, I'd have enough for everything coming to me."

"How did you set up the program," DiNozzo asked.

Davis shrugged his shoulders. "Wasn't hard. My nephew actually wrote it as an honors computer science project. He told me all about it and sent it to me. I just changed some lines of code, and voilà, the money rolled in."

DiNozzo stood and made his way to the door. Just as he put his hand on the handle, he turned. "By the way, your cousin, Mike, you said," Davis nodded. "Does he work for the government too?"

"Yeah, CIA. Why," he asked.

DiNozzo waved his hand. "Oh, nothing. A Mike Davis from the CIA was arrested, driving a truck with the supplies you helped steal, after trying to kill an NCIS Agent last night. Since that same agent was investigating this case, I guess that would make you an accessory to murder."

Davis went white as DiNozzo opened the door. He motioned to the two agents to take Davis into custody. They frisked him, cuffed him, and walked him out the door. As the three approached the elevators for the ride down to the cells, they had to drag him along. Davis had fainted.

DiNozzo moved into Observation to join the others. As he stood in front of everyone, he simply said, "that guy was asking to get caught."

Vance nodded. "Some of them do. I don't think he planned on getting caught, but he certainly was amateurish enough to get caught."

Fornell spoke next. "What was he, bipolar? His emotions were all over the place. Or is he going for an insanity defense already?" The other men in the room just shook their head. They had no idea. That would be for a psychiatrist to figure out.

DiNozzo nodded and turned to Fornell. "Since we're obviously working the same case, I'd appreciate you're continued assistance, Toby."

Fornell nodded as he stood from where he'd been leaning on the technician's desk. "I'm going to go down to talk to Mike Davis real quick, find out if his story is the same. Officer David, care to accompany me?" She nodded and they both left the room.

Just then, DiNozzo's phone rang. "DiNozzo."

"_Tony, its McGee. I got most of the money. Seems this account has been really active in the past few months. Money's flowing from one end of the country to the other. Hawaii to Maine and all through Central and South America. Some to Europe through the Caymans and the Bahamas, but not much._"

"Great. So this money's flying around the world. Check the other accounts that _La Grenouille _owned in Europe." DiNozzo looked through the other window to see Kort still sitting there, looking bored.

"_You got it, Tony. I'll check on them in a minute,_" DiNozzo heard the sound of the elevator dinging. "_Security just called me and said we have someone asking for Gibbs at the front desk. I...Oh, my God._" McGee paused. "_Tony, I'll see you in a few minutes. I don't think you'll believe me if I tell you._" McGee hung up quickly.

DiNozzo just looked at his phone in curiosity for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. He moved to the door and exited, headed toward the men's room.

As he stood there drying his hands, he wondered what else this case could throw at him.

When he exited, he saw at the end of the hall that David and Fornell were returning. He met up with them outside Observation. "Davis corroborated his cousin's story. He did not even attempt to hide it." The Mossad assassin sounded like she was speaking of something that got caught on the bottom of her shoe. She shook her head as she entered Observation, passing Sacks, Vance and DDO Johnson on the way out. She closed the door behind her.

Behind them, they heard the elevator ding and McGee came into view with another man. He was taller than McGee, and although nearly an old man, still carried himself with a carriage that men one-fourth his age couldn't muster. His hair was pure white, but his blue eyes shone with a fierce, lively glint.

Johnson was the first to recognize him. "You're dead."

DiNozzo, Vance and Fornell stood rooted to the floor. Sacks looked curious, but didn't know who the man was. The other four men obviously knew him, from the shock on their faces.

The man spoke, turning to each in turn. "Ah, Deputy Director Johnson. So good to see you again. Director Vance, I've seen you on television, would recognize you anywhere. Same for the two of you gentlemen, Fornell and DiNozzo, right?" As the four were unable to speak, Sacks and McGee just nodded.

The man turned to Sacks. "I don't know you, however. Allow me to introduce myself," he said, holding out his hand. "Major General Jasper Shepard, US Army. Deceased."


	12. Confession and History Lesson

A/N: This is a very long one, and probably my favorite. The show never answered the questions around Jasper Shepard. Here's my take on it.

Chapter 11. Confessions

Vance was the first to recover. "McGee, put General Shepard in Interrogation." McGee simply nodded and took the older man's arm. He brought him in and watched him sit in the chair before turning to leave.

When he returned, he saw that Sacks was no where in sight, replaced by Ziva, who must have noticed Shepard through the window when he walked in.

"...And I'm saying that the minute he leaves this building, he will be killed," Ziva was saying.

"You can't know that," DDO Johnson said.

"Yes, she can," stated DiNozzo. He looked tired. He didn't look this tired when McGee was walking up with General Shepard. And McGee wasn't out of sight for that long. DiNozzo, leaning up against the wall, continued, "That's how you'd do it, right, Ziva?"

Ziva only nodded, infuriating Johnson. "Doesn't matter. I will not allow NCIS to interrogate General Shepard. His duties before he died, supposedly died, whatever, were sensitive and classified higher than all of you combined."

Vance looked between all of them. "Well, Carter, as of right now, he's in NCIS custody. Unless you want to call the President or the Secretary of Defense and have one of them order me to release him into your custody, then Special Agent DiNozzo has someone to talk to."

Johnson looked livid. He finally spun on his heel, entering Observation. He was quickly followed by Fornell and Vance. Ziva started to enter, but DiNozzo held her back. He whispered in her ear and she nodded, taking out her cell phone.

McGee moved off, stating, "I'm going to get you some coffee, Tony. I think you're gonna need it." DiNozzo just smiled as Ziva hung up the phone. They both stood against the wall, molding themselves to it, their hands brushing, four eyes closed.

"Can I do this? This is on the level of Vance, not me," Tony mumbled.

Ziva closed her hand in his, giving a reassuring squeeze. Tony smiled as he heard the elevator announce its arrival down the hall. They both looked in that direction, seeing McGee, followed by two agents, and behind them...

"Abby? What the Hell are you doing here," DiNozzo almost shouted.

McGee sprang to her rescue. "My fault, Tony. She saw me getting your coffee...Oh, here," McGee said, handing him his coffee. "And she cornered me. She asked why, and when I would tell, she promised to show me her new tattoo."

Ziva looked confused. "Why would you want to see the new tattoo on her calf?"

McGee looked chagrined. "Yeah, she didn't tell me where until after." DiNozzo chuckled and pointed to Observation. Abby gave him a kiss on the cheek as she passed. DiNozzo's nose smelled something odd for this part of the building, but it wasn't confirmed until Abby entered and asked everyone if they wanted some popcorn.

"And Ducky?"

"Ah, Anthony, you don't really believe that I'd miss this for the world," Ducky said as he approached. DiNozzo just nodded in agreement with the statement, making it clear he didn't agree with the intent, but didn't make the older man leave. "By the way, I sent Jimmy to the hospital to sit with Jethro."

DiNozzo didn't move. "Better him bored there than here, Ducky."

Ziva quickly reached up and kissed his other cheek before moving to the two agents, standing guard at the door. "No one is to enter without the express authorization of myself or Special Agent McGee, is that understood?" Both men nodded in unison. "That means not the director, not the Secretary of the Navy, not even God if he walks down the hallway." The two men looked askance at her. She lowered her voice. "If you allow anyone in, without either of our permissions, I will torture you slowly over a period of years. There are places in North Africa that I can get you to where no one will ever find you."

Both gulped and nodded, again in unison. Ziva turned to Tony, smiled brightly and blew him a kiss before going into Observation.

Two minutes later, after Ziva assuring the two agents that she had indeed meant to allow Special Agent DiNozzo to enter, he finally did, shaking his head at the absurdity of it. _Probies_.

He moved to the chair and sat down, placing a bottle of water in front of the older man. They sat in silence for five minutes before DiNozzo spoke.

"You came to us, General. What do you have to say?"

Shepard sighed, suddenly looking his age, if not older. DiNozzo noticed the lines around his eyes, deeper than anyone he'd ever seen before, telling of a life lived on the edge, and making him old before his time.

"First of all, I killed Petty Officer James Carmichael. But, I killed the wrong man.

"For me to tell the story, Agent...DiNozzo, right?" DiNozzo nodded. "I have to start before I," he chuckled, "died. That's over twenty years ago.

"At the time, I was assigned to a weapons destruction inspection team in the Soviet Union. My counterpart, a Soviet Colonel General, I, my aide, and his aide, made up the entire team. We had a support team available, mainly to handle lodging and travel arrangements, but they never came close to where we were working.

"And that work was quite simple. The team would witness the destruction of Soviet arms, which would take a few hours. We'd fill out some reports, secure them, and go out for vodka. We did maybe two inspections per week, and we were always together. I understand there was another team doing the same in America, but drinking whiskey instead." Shepard chuckled before he continued.

"I had a large amount of autonomy. I came and went as I pleased, and returned to the US to file my reports with the DIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, every three months or so. That would take a week, then I'd have two weeks off to spend with my family, before heading back out. We flew commercial when possible to save money, our reports sent ahead in a diplomatic pouch. Most of the time, I'd fly through either London's Heathrow or France's Orly airports, not in uniform.

"I'd been doing it for about two years before things started to get really weird. I was headed back to Washington, in Orly, when I was approached by a man. He simply sat beside me and addressed me as 'General.' Most of the people around us were speaking French, with a group of German tourists the only exception. I spoke both languages fluently, along with Russian and about five others, but we spoke in English.

"He made me what, in the movies, would be referred to as 'an offer I couldn't refuse.' He would pay me $100,000 to simply say that arms were destroyed when they weren't. He said he'd already gotten to my Soviet counterpart."

DiNozzo interrupted. "He threatened you."

Shepard chuckled without humor. "No. If he'd threatened me, it wouldn't have made a difference. In fact, he never directly threatened. He simply showed a picture of my daughter in a college cafeteria. He mentioned her beauty and how he'd hate to see it ruined."

DiNozzo didn't move a muscle, but inside he was seething. Hearing Jenny threatened before she had the skills to defend herself, even more than twenty years ago, made him very angry. But, he said nothing as Shepard continued his narrative.

"I asked him if he was serious, and he said he was. He said to check him out. By this time, they were calling my flight. He said all could be found out with a name. _His_ name. Rene Benoit."

DiNozzo again didn't move, but his mind's eye saw Rene leaning over him, speaking his real name, and then his car exploding. He'd truly liked Rene, and probably loved his daughter during his 'assignment.' For a few hours, he'd actually mourned Rene's death. He snapped his mind back to the present to hear Shepard continue.

For his part, Shepard saw the turmoil behind the younger man's eyes, and waited until he was fixated back on him before he continued. "When I got back, I appeared normal. I filed my reports, spoke to who I had to speak to, and quietly looked into Benoit.

"At the time, he was an up and coming arms dealer. He couldn't be choosy at the time, so he worked with people like Carlos the Jackal and groups like Hamas, who actually bought their first weapons from him, just after their 1987 founding.

He spoke in a lighter tone than the measured one he'd used until now. "Now, at the DIA there were always a couple of CIA people around, in uniform. Their head was a Colonel named Jacobs who liked people to think he was actually Air Force." He snickered as he recalled, "You should have seen his face when I went to his office and told him I wanted to talk to someone in charge at the CIA. You would have thought his world came crashing down." DiNozzo, who reveled in making the CIA look stupid, chuckled along.

"But, he did it. I told them what happened, and offered to use myself as a mole. I'd take the money, put it in a Swiss account, do as he asked, and we could catch some of the people he was selling to and buying from. They agreed to it just a few hours before I left to go back.

"I was going through Heathrow this time, and there he was, waiting for the plane to empty. He saw me, I saw him, I nodded, he nodded, and he walked away. We never came within thirty feet of each other. At the end of three months, my new account had $300,000 in it.

"This went on for over a year. I'd do my inspections, come home, file my DIA reports, and be debriefed by the CIA. Then, I'd be back at it. At times, I'd actually meet with Benoit. Aside from his earlier threats against my daughter, I genuinely liked him. He was very cultured, and once each trip would turn our vodka nights into a night with some very fine brandy and cigars. He was very cultured, refined, and a true gentleman. I almost called him a friend.

"After a little over a year, I noticed someone new with him. He only carried a briefcase, didn't say anything, but I'd seen him before. He was one of the CIA men in uniform at the DIA. When I knew him, he was posing as a Navy Lieutenant. Like I said before, you could tell the CIA from the actual military people. I'd actually given him a lecture on the proper wear of the uniform once, right in the middle of a busy hallway. It was one of the few ways I could fight back against the CIA who'd entered my domain.

"But, this man was now in a suit, and a very nice one at that. But, it was still the same man. He looked at me like he didn't recognize me, and I put two and two together quickly and decided not to greet him like a long lost friend. By this time, Benoit, through being careful, had worked his way up and was a man to be reckoned with. He never got his hands dirty, but he commanded those who did.

"I figured that the CIA had finally gotten smart and put someone on the inside. I never knew where he came from, or how he got to meet Benoit, but he was there, no denying that. The only difference was his name. In the DIA, he was Sutherland, to Benoit, he was Trent Kort."

DiNozzo's mind whirled as he thought of the man he'd come to despise. Kort, two rooms away, was the only man that he'd ever thought about killing for no reason. Although, there was reason. Plenty of reason. Just no reason that would be justified. DiNozzo was beginning to get to the point where he really didn't care about that anymore either. If he had a chance, he'd kill Kort without a seconds hesitation, then get Abby's help to clean it up.

Shepard took a deep breath and a drink of water before continuing his narrative. "When I got back, I went to my control officer, the former Colonel from the DIA, and told him my suspicions. He said he'd look into it, but he never got back to me. Within two days, he was reassigned as the CIA Station Chief in South Africa, and I had a new control officer. He made no mention of Kort, and treated me like a leper. I didn't like him either," he said, with a smile that barely left his mouth.

"Finally, I, as they say, 'saw the light.' I got a couple of friends of mine to help, and two days before I was to go back, I faked my death, right in my study. My daughter was away at college, due to graduate in five months, but I heard she left school right away once she was informed.

"I had to move fast. The morning before I died, I was actually on a plane, flying to Europe." He looked slightly wistful. "I never did find out how they did it, or whose body they used. But, I digress.

"By this time, the DIA and CIA were starting to fight over who'd get the money when this was all over. But, until they hashed it out, the only one that could access the account was me. And I did. I pulled out every dollar, two hours before my death. Thanks to interest, the amount had ballooned to over four million. By the time my daughter had returned from college to prepare for my funeral, the money was spread across fifteen banks all over Western Europe. I actually thought of going to Benoit and asking for a job, but my moral obligations wouldn't allow it.

"I decided to take him down. Once I was on the run for a couple of weeks, I blamed him for everything wrong over the past year and a half. I didn't want him dead. Arrest was too good. I wanted him discredited, marginalized, on the run from his buyers, sellers, and other middle men. I started to follow him, follow his money. I tipped off security agencies in twenty different countries, from South America to Asia. The only one I couldn't get to listen was the Chinese Ministry of State Security. I even tipped off the KGB for over a decade. The CIA, FBI, DIA, NCIS, France's DGSE, Germany's BND, Canada's CSIS, Japan's CIRO, INTERPOL, all got tips for two decades.

"His buyers were being arrested, the people selling to him were being arrested. But, I hadn't taken two things into account. Greed, and good PR. He managed to keep himself in business while making people realize that it wasn't him that was tipping off the authorities. So, he continued.

"His arms ended up with revolutionaries in the Ivory Coast; he bought from Bolivia's Army, then sold to the people leading a coup d' etat _against_ Bolivia; he was the middle man on the RPGs that shot down two American helicopters in Somalia. He supplied the Tamil Tigers in their fight for independence. There's not a gunshot in all of Africa over the past fifteen years that can't be traced back to him, somehow.

"By this time, I had a team together. Three men and a woman, and no, I won't give their names." He glared at DiNozzo until the younger man nodded in agreement. DiNozzo felt safe in the fact that it was he that was agreeing, not the FBI or CIA in the Observation room. Even Vance could later say, and DiNozzo would agree on this point, that he didn't have the authority to agree to that.

"We started to remove his support structure. Bankers, technicians, hit men, all found themselves arrested, dead, or otherwise employed." The smile on Shepard's face finally reached his eyes, but it was a smile of evil. DiNozzo wondered how many Shepard had personally seen to, and knew he'd never get an answer. "We traced his money, his movements."

His eyes glassed over while he dredged up a memory. "We ended up in Paris one time. I remember sitting in a cafe, where two tables over, a man and a woman were having a romantic evening. Or at least that's what they wanted everyone to think. And, I believe they were successful. I also heard something in her voice. Love can be faked, but she wasn't faking. I knew if I needed help, all I had to do was find one of them. But, then came Poland.

He grinned ruefully. "I got laid up with pneumonia. Somehow he gave the rest of the team the slip. We were out of action for six months while I recuperated. I learned technology while I rested, waiting for my body to get back to where it was. It hasn't fully, still, but it's been good enough.

"It took us a year, but we finally found him. We started up the tips again. But, we found that we were having more trouble in being believed. And a new NCIS director, who was known well by me, was very keen on finding out who we were."

DiNozzo spoke for the first time in an hour. And when he did, it was one word. "Jenny."

Shepard chuckled. "Funny, she always hated to be called 'Jenny.' Had to be 'Jennifer,' or nothing. She went through a year when she wouldn't answer to anything but, not even 'honey' or 'sweetie.' But, yes, she started to ask a lot of questions.

"And, she wasn't the only one. So, we decided to remove Benoit and end it all. We tracked him to Canada where he was going to sell a US Navy missile guidance system. We were sitting there, my sniper and I as the spotter, when we noticed a glint of light coming from a cargo box placed where one shouldn't have been. I turned the scope and saw a woman behind a sniper rifle of her own, and a man spotting for her. The man was you."

DiNozzo cringed as he finally realized what was really bothering him on that mission. Not the orders that Jenny had personally, and very privately, given them, but the thought that something wasn't right. That they were being watched somehow. He thought, at the time, that it was one of Rene's men. Now, he knew.

"Some of the technology we had could tap into cell phone calls. We traced Kort's transmission to his control officer at the CIA, and the CIA's call to Jennifer. I was so shocked to hear her voice that I froze. As your shooter was asking for permission to fire, so was mine. Except, we were targeting Kort. We figured with him out of the way, Benoit would have to get sloppy by taking some things into his own hands, making for an easier, and more deniable, kill."

Shepard looked at his hands as he spoke, his voice low. "But, I froze. Everything was in place. The shooter, the getaway, everything. But, I couldn't speak the words. They got away. The three men on my team quit in disgust, leaving me only the woman I'd come to see as my daughter, to replace the one Benoit took from me.

He looked up at DiNozzo. "Can you imagine. Here I was, over twenty years tracking Benoit. I knew his every like, dislike, what he had for breakfast. I knew him better than I knew myself. I knew how he thought, what he thought, probably before he thought it.

"We decided to take a break. We melted into the shadows for a few months, she went off somewhere, and I spent my time in Russia, visiting my old friend. I found out later that I missed Jennifer by only a few days in Russia." He shook his head regretfully. "All the times I'd flown over America, Europe, and here she was, just a couple days apart.

"We met up again and decided on a new tack. Kort, by this time, had a reputation for violence that rivaled anything I'd ever heard of before. He was directly tied, by us, to over fifty murders personally, and ordering another few hundred. People who didn't do what he wanted, people who stood in his way. We saw some of the handiwork personally. He had personally hacked a man to death, joint by joint while he was still alive." Shepard shuddered at the thought, revulsion on his face.

"I decided to concentrate on Kort and she tracked Benoit. We finally found them in D.C. I couldn't get to Benoit, and realized that Kort was about to try to kill Benoit, taking over the organization. I decided I needed help, so I went to Jennifer. I was hoping she could get over her shock fast enough to do what I needed her to do. But, before she could get home, I got a call that both were seen outside of Monroe University Hospital. I rushed out and met Ka...um..my partner there.

"We saw Benoit's limo outside the hospital, but we also saw one of Kort's men, a man named Mike Davis, fiddling with a car in the parking lot." DiNozzo gasped as he realized that this was probably the same man Fornell arrested earlier for trying to kill Gibbs. This must also be the same day he lost his precious car to a bomb. And the same man was now in NCIS custody.

Shepard again waited for DiNozzo before continuing. He didn't know what was going on inside the younger man's head, but he knew that whatever it was, it wasn't disbelief. "We saw you exit the hospital, with his daughter. We had decided that his daughter was innocent in all this and we wouldn't make a move if she was near. We just never put it together that he was waiting for her, and, as it turns out, you. So, we followed you. We saw, what we later found out was your car, explode. We hadn't seen Kort in hours, we found out later that he'd slipped away from us at the hospital and went to Langley. He later came here, but left before we could get into position."

Shepard sighed lightly and drank more water. "We saw you in the park, and intercepted Benoit's call to Kort, who seemed surprised at the explosion. We lost him after he came to the Navy Yard to drop you off. We had only one car, and two exits to guard. He must have left through the other one."

Shepard's voice showed unmistakable anger. "I traced Benoit that night to his boat. I was going to end it, once and for all. No snipers, no taking out the legs, just me and him and a pistol. I was waiting for midnight, when his guards were coming close to the end of their shifts. Easier to take out a tired man than one that has just woken up. So, I waited.

"Then, I noticed a car pull up, and Jennifer exit. She simply walked onto the boat. That's when I realized that in all my time watching him, he wouldn't use a bodyguard in the U.S. I smacked myself for my stupidity, but decided to wait until she left. I never thought she would be in league with him, but their conversation carried over the water. I heard them argue, her telling him that he should let his daughter decide for herself. I also caught what sounded like your name, but I can't be sure with the distance."

Internally, DiNozzo was in turmoil. Jenny had gone to Rene to try to get he and Jeanne together again? Was it possible? Everything in his gut was telling him that this was the truth, but, as an investigator, he knew that memories sometimes lie. Shepard might have thought what he remembered was the truth. That didn't make it actually true. He very briefly considered his life with Jeanne still by his side, before he shook it off to concentrate on Shepard again.

"Then, I heard voices louder as they moved to my side of the deck. Before I realized it, I heard a gunshot, and Jennifer push Benoit over the rail and into the Potomac. I was frozen in shock, yet again. My own flesh and blood and taken this satisfaction from me. I had killed myself for this moment, and my rage boiled over.

"I never once thought about going after Jennifer, but I realized a little bit later, that with Benoit out of the picture, Kort would have nothing standing in his way of taking over. And, take over, he did.

"He was more ruthless than Benoit could have ever been. He was more ruthless than he was before. He killed many personally, but he used his minions for most of it. He was beginning to act above it all, and surrounded himself with guards all day and night. We could never get to him."

His voice became mournful. "Then, the woman left me. She said I was too obsessed and wasn't looking at anything logically. Didn't matter that she was right. I didn't care. The day she left, I killed a man. He sold weapons for Benoit and now Kort. I simply walked up to him and shot him in the head. I walked away. Didn't feel a thing. Later, that's what scared me most. The lack of feeling.

"But, it didn't stop me. Whoever was selling to Kort, buying for Kort, working for Kort, was dead. They may not have hit the ground yet, but they were living until _I_ decided. I felt Godlike. For over a year, across four continents, someone sold weapons, someone bought weapons, they died by my hand. I couldn't get them all, but I could get enough."

His voice became almost a whisper. "Then, came a week ago. I had tracked sales to a Petty Officer at the Navy Yard in the supply warehouse. I stalked him, tracked him. I was set up for the kill. He was having an argument with another man, and he started to walk away. I exited my car and took a couple of steps. Then, I saw the man he was arguing with come out of nowhere with a stick of some kind. As he dropped, I blanked." His voice turned fierce and vile. "Another one taken from me. I walked up to him, calmly, at least on the outside, and simply shot him in the face. Then I walked away.

"I went back to my safe house. I wondered how _this _one could have gotten away. I looked at everything I had. Pictures, a copy of the form he signed to set up his account. Then, I noticed something. In one of the pictures, he was writing left handed. But, the signature card was signed by someone _right_ handed. I had killed an innocent man.

"Last night, I made my decision. I was going to turn myself in, but not just to anyone. I was going to turn myself into the man my daughter trusted. I called and he agreed to meet me at my old house. I hadn't known it burned down. But, it was fitting. That's the house I grew up in. It had been in the family for generations. Now, it was only a slab of concrete and some pipes sticking up.

"I _was_ that house. Desolate, charred, nothing to show for my life but the core. And even that wasn't strong. The foundation of the house was cracked and starting to shift. When he pulled up, I finally realized how much I had lost. He recognized me and I simply put out my hands to be cuffed. He just shook my hand and led me to the car.

"I decided to tell him everything on the way, when this truck came out of no where. Smashed the car. I got a couple of cuts and bruises, but he looked dead. I staggered to a pay phone and called 911. I knew that he had just one chance, and that was to give the government plates on the car to the dispatch operator. I melted back away once I saw the ambulance arrive.

"Then, I just wandered. No direction in mind. I slept under a bridge last night. When I woke up, I started wandering again. I stole a sandwich from a store sometime this morning, but barely ate half of it. More wandering. Before I knew it, I was at the gate to the Navy Yard. I realized what I had to do. So, I convinced a guard to bring me here."

He let out a deep breath. "That's it."

DiNozzo almost let out a laugh. 'That's it.' As if those two words could sum up the story he'd just heard. His mind raced as he reflected on all he'd been told. The sheer volume of information taken into the past, he looked at his watch, two hours, was enough to give him food for thought for the next decade. DiNozzo regarded him for a few minutes. Finally, he spoke. "Where's the gun you used on Petty Officer Carmichael?"

Shepard grinned as he reached inside his jacket. "Funny thing about getting old. Told the security it was a colostomy bag," he said as he pulled out the pistol, wrapped in a plastic bag with a tube duct taped to it. "No one wanted to search it to find out," he chuckled.

Mentally, DiNozzo head slapped McGee. It may also have been in his mind, but he could swear he heard four head slaps and McGee yelping each time. He mentally thanked Ducky, Fornell, Abby, and Ziva.

He waved his hand at the window. Seconds later, Ziva entered, a pad of paper in her glove covered hand. She handed the paper to Shepard and picked up the bag with the pistol in it. The look she gave him was of deep respect. She may not agree with his motives, but she did realize that he had done what she might have.

As she left the room, DiNozzo pointed to the paper. "I'll need the aliases you've used so we can corroborate your story. Also, someone will be down with a cheek swab for DNA matching."

Shepard looked furious. "I just gave you everything and you want proof? I would have been better off taking my chances with the CIA."

DiNozzo stood, towering over the older man, his face set in stone. He spoke so softly Shepard had to strain to hear. "Did you kill Petty Officer Carmichael?" Shepard nodded, anger still on his face. "Was he the man you should have killed?" Shepard looked away for a moment before shaking his head, the anger disappearing. "You didn't corroborate your evidence. I'm not going to make the same mistake."

DiNozzo stood and moved to the door. Seconds later, the agents outside entered and gestured for Shepard to stand. They frisked him and cuffed him. His head hung low as he left the room. DiNozzo, standing outside, heard the door to Observation open and saw Abby and McGee walk out. Behind them, he heard a loud argument over jurisdiction and who would take Shepard into custody.

But, seeing his friends, none of that even registered. Abby, tears on her cheeks, simply took his hand and led him toward the elevator. Tim followed, moving ahead to call the elevator. Tony didn't even register where they were heading until he found himself at Abby's desk, light Jazz softly coming from her radio, and three separate sets of hands rubbing his shoulders and back.

He pillowed his head on his arms. Try as he might, he just couldn't get to sleep.


	13. Almost Business as Usual

Chapter 12. Almost Business as Usual

Abby and McGee had long ago moved away to the lab, the computer tables littered with empty Caff-Pow cups, one full one in front of Abby, and a half full one in front of McGee. Tony still sat at her desk, Ziva lightly rubbing his back and shoulders. To all appearances, Tony was asleep.

Appearances can be deceiving.

Ziva knew he wasn't asleep. Abby and McGee would occasionally catch her eye, and she would only shake her head at them, the unasked question answered in silence. Ziva had started out humming lullabies, but that had long ago changed to just soft humming. The jazz still played on the radio, Sinatra's dulcet tones lightly filling the room, contrasting nicely with Ziva's humming.

Tony adjusted his head, jerking his head up when he spotted something very unexpected. He grinned as he mumbled, "Hey, Bert. How a farting hippo can get within four inches of a trained Federal Agent is beyond me." He laid his head back down again.

Tony had been trying to sleep. He really had. Just a nap, that's all he wanted. Kort was still waiting, and Vance was pushing to close the case. But, to do it, he needed his mind clear.

Finally, he just let his mind wander where it would.

_Sinatra's so damn soothing when he's singing. Not a bad actor either._

_Did I leave the water running in the bathroom?_

_I'm in love with Ziva. _

_Who put Bert there?_

_Does the new types of long lasting chewing gum really lose it's flavor on the bedpost overnight? _

_I should tell McGee and Abby what a great job they're doing._

_I can't believe she brought in popcorn._

_I need to check with Palmer and see how Gibbs is doing._

_God, please don't let me screw this up with Ziva._

_Would checking the bullet match show up on Interpol's searches?_

_Why does that damn hippo have to fart? And why is it so funny?_

_If a woodchuck won't chuck wood, what would a woodchuck chuck?_

_That's even a tongue twister in my..._

_Interpol?_

"Abby," DiNozzo yelled as his head shot up, dislodging Ziva's hand and making her jump slightly. Abby stuck her head around the computers to look at him. "Would you checking the bullets striations show up at other agencies?"

Both Abby and McGee's eyes shot open as both lunged to quickly shut down her comparison searches. Both DiNozzo and David heard her mutter, "How could I be so stupid?"

They also heard McGee's reply, not whispered quietly enough. "It's not stupid, Abby. None of us thought of it."

They chuckled when they heard Abby close down the conversation. "Tony did." She moved toward the office so she wouldn't have to yell. "It's down, Tony. I haven't gotten any hits on the comparison software, but I'm still going to go back and see if I can hack in and erase them before anyone notices."

"Don't worry about that, Abs," DiNozzo said. "Can you do it by eye," he asked.

"I can try, but it won't be one hundred percent." She smirked. "Especially since my eyes won't focus," she said as she crossed her eyes.

Tony laughed quietly and Ziva smiled at her young friend who was trying to keep up Tony's spirits. Ziva worried about him as he laid his head back down. It was bad enough to interrogate someone when there was no blood shed, she had learned it was actually harder and more exhausting to do so when the interrogation room didn't need copious amounts of bleach to clean off the blood.

And DiNozzo had gone through one basic, albeit bipolar, and another extraordinarily grueling interrogation back to back over the period of barely three hours. She wasn't standing there as his secret girlfriend, his friend, his confidant, she was there as his partner, trying to infuse as much strength into him as she could through a simple touch. Tim and Abby both had jobs to do, she could do this.

Her thoughts were distracted by the arrival of the elevator. A smile crossed her face when she saw the medical examiner enter. She tapped Tony to rouse him. He slapped her finger playfully, not raising his head. She smirked as she tapped the back of his head, causing him to head slap himself.

"Anthony," Ducky said, "Jethro would be extremely upset that you're head slapping yourself without his permission," he chuckled. Tony raised his head, a slight grin on his face. It didn't move much past his mouth. Ducky was almost put off by the bags under his bloodshot eyes, but didn't make any expression or draw attention to it.

"What's up, Ducky," Tony asked.

In response, Ducky simply held out a bottle of water and a sandwich. "You need to sop up some of that caffeine, Anthony. With the added stress, I don't want you on my table with a bleeding ulcer."

Tony took both items gratefully. The same couldn't be said for Ziva's response. "Ugh, Ducky, did you have to get him ham?"

Dr. Mallard chuckled. "It was either that or an out of date tuna fish sandwich. I'm sorry, but the FBI and CIA got to the machine before I could." He paused, looking down at the younger man in surprise. "For heaven's sake, Anthony, at least remove the wrapper first."

All three chuckled as Tony ripped it own with his teeth, his face revealing a 'ta-da' look. He began to eat as Ziva moved to look in on Tim and Abby, no reason more than to get away from the smell of pork. Even years in America hadn't made it easier for her to smell it, and she had been too close to the source.

DiNozzo spoke to Ducky, mouth full of food. "Ducky, I need you to do some checking..."

"Into General Shepard's autopsy, as well as any deaths he claims to be responsible for around the world, where I can get access to them." DiNozzo swallowed and nodded as Ducky finished his thought.

"Shepard, being Army, probably was handled by CID, although the nature of his job may have made it FBI or CIA."

"I'll request it from both, but I may need Timothy's assistance if its the CIA, I doubt they'd willingly relinquish it. Reminds me of a few years before you came to NCIS where a woman was found to..."

Abby interrupted, for which DiNozzo was grateful beyond measure. "Tony, without the computer to do the match, it's not certain, but the bullets match. The striations line up perfectly to the bullet that killed Carmichael. I also previously matched _that_ bullet to over twenty unsolved cases in Europe. I'm not saying that General Shepard killed them too, but that pistol did."

DiNozzo slumped down again as Ziva returned, sitting next to him on the edge of the desk. "Good work, Abs. I'm hugging you in my mind."

Abby looked at him seriously. "That's the best kind. It means you really mean it." She spun on her heel and moved back to her computer.

"Well, Anthony, I will begin making my inquiries. I may not have real answers for months, but at least it'll help to clear some of these up and perhaps give some closure to the families." Ducky made to leave, but not before adding his own physical support to DiNozzo's shoulder.

The elevator dinged, signaling that the car had arrived, and a distant quick conversation took place, heard only by McGee, who was closest to the door. He tensed as he realized who was about to enter.

"Agent DiNozzo," Vance's voice boomed from the doorway.

Abby saw him enter and quickly moved to intercept. "Director, would you like to hear what we have so far?"

"And what is that, Ms. Scuito?"

Abby was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. She couldn't tell of the bullet comparison because that would, indirectly, bring McGee into the firing line for not properly searching Shepard. Abby would protect Tony, but not at the expense of anyone except herself.

Vance stood only a moment as Abby was indecisive. "That's what I thought." He stepped around her and moved into the office, stopping between the door and the desk.

"Special Agent DiNozzo, wake up," Vance said, his voice more commanding than anyone had ever heard it before.

"I'm awake, Director," came the reply, muffled by the speaker's mouth being almost completely covered by his elbow.

"Then please do me the courtesy of looking at me when you speak to me." DiNozzo rolled his head to the side so he could see Vance. With the lab area's lights on, and the office lights off, Vance's face was cast in shadow, looking almost monstrous. "Care to tell me why there are two agents downstairs who almost pulled their weapons on me when I tried to see General Shepard?"

"I ordered them to not allow anyone without my permission, Director," DiNozzo said, turning his head back into his arms.

"And why is that, DiNozzo?"

As DiNozzo turned his head, Ziva simply tapped his shoulder, indicating that he should stay in place. She stood and moved to Vance. "You were an Agent once, right?"

Vance didn't blink. "One of the best."

Ziva didn't back down either. "Then you know how an Agent feels when _Management_," she said it as a curse word, "meddles in your case. It's insulting and degrading. And right now, he needs all the rest he can get. He just went through two grueling interrogations and has one left. You know as well as I do how much that takes out of a person."

"Hallelujah, sister," exclaimed Abby. When Vance turned, she rapidly ducked behind her computers, her face peeking out between them.

When Vance turned back, he saw that Ziva had stepped right into his personal space, her rising voice dripping with venom. "Now, let him rest. He is the Lead Agent in Charge of this investigation, and any decisions he makes as part of that investigation are his to make, and his alone."

Vance's voice was angry. "You're insubordinate, Officer David."

Ziva exploded. "And you are the Director of NCIS. Act like it. Defend your agents."

Both stared at each other, determined to not be the first to break away. Therefore, neither saw the looks of total surprise on the faces of DiNozzo, McGee, or Abby. They all knew how hard it was to make Ziva actually lose her composure, and they had rarely seen it. They had seen her angry, but never to the point where she blew her top in such a manner. When they did, it was a sight to behold.

The beeping of McGee's computer drew his attention, and he rapidly caught the attention of everyone. "Boss...I mean, Tony, the money's all here, just like he said it was. Looks like he's got a couple hundred thousand left, spread over four banks in three countries, all in separate names. There may be more, but these look like the ones holding the most of it."

Both Vance and Ziva looked away at the same time, both focusing their attention on McGee, who shrunk visibly at the glares he was receiving. Vance took the chance to step away, trying to regain his composure as he did. As he stepped from the room, he spoke over his shoulder. "Ms. Scuito, no popcorn in Observation." As his back was to them, no one could see the smile on his face as he walked away.

Abby barely registered the comment, her focus momentarily broken, now fixated back on Ziva, who was breathing heavily as if she'd just run twenty miles. She released a shuddering breath, working to put her barriers back up before turning to Tony again, who was looking at her in awe.

As she moved to sit next to Tony again, she heard Tim speak to Abby, almost quiet enough for her and Tony not to hear. "We may have to call her Zivab, with a 'B' on the end," he chuckled.

Ziva called out to him over her shoulder. "Would that be for 'bitch' or 'bastard,' Tim?" Chagrined, Tim wisely turned back to his computer, still grinning.

Tony pillowed his arms again, laying his head down. His thoughts wandered, settling on Gibbs. He took out his phone for an update from Palmer. Hearing no change in his prognosis, he hung up and laid his head back down.

He laid his head there for almost another half hour, not moving. Finally, realizing that he wouldn't get any sleep, he turned his head away from Tim and Abby, settling his face on Ziva's."

"Ani O'hev O'Tach, Zi," he whispered.

Ziva looked at him with all the adoration she could muster. "Ti amo, Tony."

Next to him, Tim heard Abby gasp. He turned to her, just as the results from the fingerprints and DNA came onto her computer. Abby yelled into the office. "Tony, the prints and DNA match Jasper Shepard. Unless someone from the Armed Forces DNA Registry got hacked, it really is him."

Tony smiled at Ziva, taking her hand and kissing it lightly, out of sight of the other two, before taking a large breath and standing. He moved into the lab area and stood behind the computer expert and lab technician, staring at the computer screen. "Good work, both of you." He kissed Abby on the cheek and chuckled when Tim presented his cheek, as if he wanted a kiss too, his face lit up in a grin. Only Ziva saw it didn't quite make his eyes. Tony kissed Abby's cheek again. "Pass that on to Probie, Abs."

"WIth pleasure, Tony," she said gleefully, completely missing his cheek and kissing him full on the lips. "Thanks, Tony. I needed that," she said when she came up for air.

"Thanks, Boss." All three stared at Tim, his gaze unwavering, giving no doubt that he meant what he said. A smile crossed both women's faces, while DiNozzo simply nodded in acknowledgment, clapping the younger man on the shoulder.

"Tim, call Cassie Yates in Norfolk. Find out if her team can cover for us for a couple of days. Once this is over, we're headed to the hospital until Gibbs wakes up. If Vance makes a fuss, I'll just sic Ziva on him. Ziva, get me a sandwich and some water." He turned and moved toward the door. "I need coffee, I need some fresh air, and I need to pee, not necessarily in that order. Meet me outside of Observation in twenty minutes."

The elevator chimed as all three yelled, in unison, in his direction, "On it, Boss."

As the doors closed, all three broke into laughter. Tim was the first to bring himself together. "I've got Cassie's phone number at my desk. See you guys up there," he said as he gathered his things to leave.

Once Abby heard Tim move up the stairs and out of earshot, she spun on the Israeli. "C'mon, spill it." Abby was literally bouncing in excitement.

Ziva's face showed her confusion. "Spill what, Abby?"

Abby grinned as she calmed slightly, a glint in her eye. "You guys forget, I can read lips."

Ziva's only reaction was to draw in a sharp breath.


	14. Confrontation, Part 1

Chapter 13. Confrontation, Part 1

DiNozzo opened the door to Observation, but it didn't open far. Behind the door, he heard two separate thuds, feeling one thud. He peered around the door and saw McGee rubbing his right hip and left shoulder, a slight wince on his face.

"Sorry, McDoorstop," DiNozzo said.

"Alright," Vance started. "There are far too many people in this room. If you're not in a supervisory position, leave."

Sacks, McGee, Technician Janice Dorn, and Special Agent Johnson exited the room, Sacks closing the door behind him. DiNozzo took in the three other men in the room. Vance and DDO Johnson sat on the edge of the technician's desk while Fornell leaned against the mirror that looked over Interrogation Two, the lights out and the room now empty.

Vance, his toothpick moving around his mouth from one side to the other, regarded his Special Agent. DiNozzo had rapidly grown into the role of Acting Lead Agent, a growth too quick to be something new. He was starting to realize the truth that Gibbs had been talking about when he told him to look deeper into the younger man's personnel file. He made a mental note to do so at his first opportunity.

He also wondered what and in depth look into the files of the rest of the team would reveal.

"How goes the case, DiNozzo," Vance inquired.

"Going well, Director," DiNozzo answered, ice in his voice. He glowered at Vance for a moment, who returned the same look. DiNozzo broke it first as he looked at Johnson. "Deputy Director, what would it take to get you to give up Kort to NCIS?"

Johnson glanced at Vance, mentally handing over the twenty dollars that Vance had bet him. He looked back at DiNozzo after a moment. "Get him to admit that he was buying from the Navy Yard. In the U.S., he was only sanctioned to purchase from three bases, Fort Hood in Texas, Jacksonville NAS in Florida, and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota."

DiNozzo nodded as he felt Fornell's eyes on him, sending him a nod as well. Fornell examined him carefully, but surreptitiously. DiNozzo appeared exhausted, but still had a sharp glint in his eyes. His posture didn't show the stress he was under, but DiNozzo was in 'game mode' and had his mask in place. Fornell nodded in return.

DiNozzo was ready.

DiNozzo nodded to the three men and moved to the door. As he opened it, he saw everyone that had been kicked out waiting in the hallway. He moved out and held the door open as everyone entered. From down the hall, Ziva walked with Abby.

David handed the sandwich, water, and file to DiNozzo. He looked at them and grinned. "Three days old, perfect." He smiled at Abby as he held out his hand. She smirked and upended the box over his hand, before entering Observation.

As he looked at Ziva, Tony heard Vance before the door closed. "Ms. Scuito, I thought I told you no snacks in Observation."

They heard Abby chuckle. "No, Director. You said no popcorn. You said nothing about Junior Mints or Twizzlers."

As the door closed, both turned back to see Vance hold out his hand and the forensic scientist fill his hand with Junior Mints.

David held out her hand, but DiNozzo shook his head. "I'm gonna hold on to it." Ziva nodded and placed her hand on his shoulder before moving to the door and entering Observation, moving directly to the one way mirror.

Over a minute later, DiNozzo opened the door and poked his head in. "Trent, I'm sorry, I forgot you were here." DiNozzo entered and closed the door behind him. "Thought you'd left hours ago."

"So, does that mean I'm free to go, DiNozzo," Kort replied laconically. He made no move to stand, however. He knew better.

DiNozzo moved to the mirror side of the table before sitting. "Not just yet. The Director is going to nail my hide to the wall if I don't at least ask you _some_ questions." DiNozzo placed the sandwich and water in front of Kort, "I know you haven't eaten, thought I'd get you a snack, at least." He pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. "Hope you don't mind, but I've been trying to beat this level for a couple of days now." Sounds of a game came out of the speaker on the cell phone.

Kort sighed loudly. _He really is an idiot_. "DiNozzo, we both know as soon as the CIA sends someone over here, I'm going to walk out the door. Speaking of, I've been here ten hours. Where are they?"

DiNozzo smirked. "Well, right now, they're probably still over at the Hoover Building. The FBI arrested you, and delivered you here. The CIA is still looking for Fornell." He looked at his watch. "I'd say we got about two hours, Trent." He returned his attention to his phone. "Ah, here it is. Now, let's see if I can beat it now," he growled at the phone.

Kort sighed and looked around the room, a bored expression on his face. He rested his eyes back on DiNozzo. "I thought you had to ask me some questions, DiNozzo."

DiNozzo glanced up. "Glad you reminded me, Trent." He looked back at his phone. "C'mon, left, left, up, little right...Aw," he yelled. "I'm going to beat you." He put his feet up on the table as he turned slightly away from Kort. "Questions, right." He looked pensive for a moment. "Seen any good movies lately?"

Kort sharply inhaled, his anger visible on his face. "DiNozzo, how about any serious questions."

"That was a serious one. Little more left...Damn. Not a movie fan? I'd just think you'd be a fan of _The Princess Bride_. 'No one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Westley.' Just like him, you took over Rene's operation and kept his name. Just like the Dread Pirate Roberts. Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin were great in their sword fight. Did you know they did the entire sword fight themselves. The only stunt people that were used did the somersaults. And Robin Wright Penn was just beautiful." DiNozzo paused. "Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way."

"You have no idea, DiNozzo. I took over the operation on the orders of the CIA," Kort stated.

"No, I mean, my game. Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. Let's see if I do this," he trailed off. "Yeah, there we go. Past that part. Virgin territory, baby."

There was silence for a full minute, broken only by the sounds of DiNozzo's phone. "DiNozzo, I'm quite content to wait for the CIA alone. You can leave."

"Nah, don't have anything else to do. We just wrapped up a case, and me being down here means I get out of paperwork."

Kort again looked around the room, sighing heavily. "DiNozzo, where's Gibbs?"

"Unavailable at the moment." The phone made noises that signaled his loss yet again. "No." He pulled the phone close to his face and spoke angrily. "I'm going to beat you. I'm better and smarter than you. Stupid game."

Kort shook his head, showing his doubt for the last statement. He held out his hand. "Look, DiNozzo, give me the phone and I'll beat the level for you, then I can leave. Is it a deal?"

"Nope. _I'm_ going to beat it. This is between man and machine." DiNozzo was pressing buttons on his phone rapidly. "So, you're not into movies. What about books, Trent?"

Kort hung his head in despair. He was stuck with this imbecile until the CIA arrived. "What about them?"

"What's the last book you read?" No response. "Nothing? Let me tell you about my last book. It wasn't really a book, it was a diary. See, when Director Shepard's house burned down, not everything was destroyed. Her father's diary was found. I was going through the evidence locker when I found it. Pretty interesting reading.

"He actually knew you, did you know that? Said he tore into you for your uniform being a, what was the term he used? Soup sandwich." DiNozzo chuckled. "That's pretty funny. 'Soup sandwich.' You can see what he means by it. Sloppy, wrinkled, basically looking like crap. Pretty colorful if you ask me."

Kort's face showed anger at the slight against him. As the phone beeped in different tones according to DiNozzo's playing, he made a mental note to do all he could to get rid of DiNozzo. Killing was too good, but getting him arrested, that was something else. A man with an ego that large would be brought down a peg, and brought down hard, by a man who knew what he was doing.

Trent Kort was such a man.

DiNozzo continued. "I like your suit now though. Very dashing. Didn't get to read all the diary, Gibbs came down for something and I had to put it up quick. I'll have to go back and read some more. Really interesting."

"Really, DiNozzo? Did you like the pretty pictures it had?" His tone, his face, his entire being was poured into the most insulting he could muster.

DiNozzo focused his eyes on Kort. "Trent, that hurts. I can read very well." He turned his attention back to the game. "And, yes, he had some good pictures in it." The sound of another loss sounded from the speaker.

"Okay, so you're not into movies, not into books. _I'm_ bored. Want to hear about our last case?"

"Not really, DiNozzo."

He was ignored. "Petty Officer was killed. He was selling spare parts. To you, actually. Kind of how you ended up here." He looked at Kort again. "You can keep a secret, right?" Kort didn't move, except to cross his arms. "Doesn't matter. See, this Petty Officer was killed because of the sale of these parts."

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Hey, you can settle a bet between me and Gibbs." He placed his feet on the floor and his arms on the table. "See, Gibbs doesn't believe that the Petty Officer was selling to you, but that it was an officer. He thinks that the Petty Officer didn't have the resources to complete the transfers. I think he did. Which one of us is right, Trent?"

In Observation, all eyes except McGee's turned to Ziva as she softly said, "In three...two..." She pointed to the glass in front of her, drawing all attention back to the two men.

"You owe Gibbs. I was buying from the Executive Officer of the warehouse," they all heard through the speakers.

McGee and Ziva looked at each other and grinned. "Shock and awe," McGee said as the door to Observation opened behind them.

DiNozzo's face fell. "Really, Trent? He's right?" He lowered his voice as he looked at the table, hanging his head. "Great, not only did I lose fifty bucks, but he's going to lord this over me."

Both men's attention was directed at the door opening. In it stood DDO Johnson and Special Agent Johnson. Kort grinned back at DiNozzo, ready to gloat that he'd now be free. His voice caught as he saw the look of satisfaction on DiNozzo's face.

DDO Johnson spoke formally. "Trent Kort, you are not longer employed by the Central Intelligence Agency." He turned to DiNozzo. "Special Agent DiNozzo, he's all yours."

As the door closed, Kort turned back to DiNozzo, who closed his phone as he face was covered by a grin that belied any mirth.

Kort sunk into his chair.


	15. Confrontation, Part 2

Chapter 14. Confrontation, Part 2

Kort sunk into the chair. His mind raced as he tried to realize the implications of the Deputy Director's words. They had left him at the mercy of NCIS in general, and DiNozzo in particular, a man who he'd never liked, a man who he'd secretly wanted, and once tried, to kill.

Not that DiNozzo would know about that. There is no way that he would, that he could. But, he seemed to know everything else, and the CIA let DiNozzo interrogate him. Confusion reigned in Kort's head.

Did the CIA know that he'd had one of his men set the bomb? Kort's eyes shot around the room looking for a way out. His mind wasn't working correctly at the moment, between racing through his thoughts, and stopping to examine the thoughts he was having.

Peripherally, he did notice that he wasn't alone in the room, and he did notice that that person was looking at him with a smiling glare. But, at that moment, it truly didn't fully register to him.

Until the voice spoke.

"Wow, Trent. You've been disavowed, like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. Too bad real life isn't like the movie's, right Trent?"

He snapped his eyes to DiNozzo's face. The way they were sitting at the table, his eyes were also drawn to the mirror image of himself. He saw his face. Confusion. Betrayal. _Fear._

"You know the meaning of 'disavowed', right, Trent? It comes from Old Latin, means 'DiNozzo owns your ass," the voice was laced with malice, and aggressive anger was at it's base.

Kort made his first conscious decision since the door closed. He placed back on his mask. The one that showed only what he wanted to show. Arrogance, mixed with condescension. It was how he treated the world, because that's how the world had treated him.

DiNozzo saw the mask fall into place, and decided to shake him up again. "Trent, why did you blow up my car? Thought I was in it, or maybe your target was Jeanne?"

Kort's mask, never completely in place, failed entirely. His mouth gaped open. _He knew. It was impossible, but he knew. This wasn't a random guess. _He met DiNozzo's eyes, and saw a feral gaze meet his.

DiNozzo was tired of the game. "Let me tell you a story, Trent. My dead Petty Officer was just the tipping point. Once he was killed, there was no way that the sale of spare parts out of the Navy Yard wasn't going to be uncovered. So, you had your buddy, Mike Davis, go and get the parts you had in storage. It was a big job, needing an eighteen wheeler.

"But, Davis...Did you know he was CIA too, Trent?" Kort, his mind whirling, was able to latch onto this thought. It entered his head, was heard, processed, and considered. It took a moment before the true implications of it were made manifest.

DiNozzo smiled. "You didn't, did you? Mike Davis was spying on you, like you were spying on Rene. Why do you think that was, Trent? Did the CIA not trust you? Did the CIA doubt the information you were sending back to them? Or, did they know you would turn on them and take Rene's business to a whole new level?

"I, personally, would bet on a combination of the three. I mean, you were there to spy on Rene, to help get him off the streets and into a cell, but you couldn't do it, not even after twenty years. Then, he dies, and you take over. The CIA was using you, and you let them, but never totally. You would buy and sell weapons, and the CIA would watch where they went, and take out the ends, leading back to the middle men. But, you weren't giving the right information, keeping some back. They'd never know.

"Enter, Mike Davis. He's CIA too, although you didn't know that. And what's _he's_ sending back doesn't jibe with what you've been sending back. They begin to wonder. Is he on the sidelines, is he getting ready to step in if anything happens, or is he on his own program.

"But, getting back to my Petty Officer, when he's killed, you know we're going to investigate even deeper now. So, you call up Davis and tell him to move everything. He gets a truck and starts loading. And, he's also on the look out for anyone in law enforcement. They're the last people he wants to see. So, finally, it's loaded. He dismisses his men and starts to drive away.

"As he's moving it, he notices someone that's been after him for a very long time. Davis has to stop him. Davis has tried to kill him before, and the man has tried to kill Davis before. But, Davis has the upper hand, he's seen him, and the other man doesn't know he's there.

"Davis is in a residential area. And, he's in a huge truck, but somehow he gets ahead of the car the man's driving, and runs a red light, smashing the car. He gets out to check, but the man's still alive. He's thinking quickly, the cops will be here soon. He decides to kill him before the cops can get there.

"But, the cops get there in record time, due to the government plates on the car being called in. So, now he's just going to lay low. He'll take the arrest for reckless driving, make bail, and find him again. But, Davis isn't familiar with D.C. When it's a government vehicle, just in case, the FBI gets involved.

"Okay, he can fake out the FBI. No problem. But, Davis has _really_ bad luck today. Not only did he have to load the truck in haste, not only did he not kill his target, but the FBI Agent investigating is one of very few Agents who can identify the signature on the bill of lading."

DiNozzo looked at Kort curiously. "I mean, what are the odds that the FBI would get called in, and the responding agent would recognize a _signature_ of all things. So, now he's screwed and just decides to wait it out, knowing that you'll get him loose soon.

"Then, another disaster. He isn't allowed a phone call. He can't call you. And, you don't know what's coming, and you get picked up." DiNozzo looked at him in silence.

Kort finally cleared his throat. "Who was driving the car?"

DiNozzo continued in a calm voice, but the murderous rage was just below the surface. "Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs." Kort visibly winced at this, his defenses completely destroyed in just twenty short minutes.

DiNozzo stood and moved to the door. As he placed his hand on the door knob, he turned back. "Gibbs had a passenger." Kort looked up, no emotion on his face, as if his face couldn't decide what emotion to show. "Jasper Shepard. He's in NCIS custody now."

Kort visibly deflated. If they had Shepard, there was no where that was safe for him, aside from a jail cell. He didn't hear the door open, didn't hear DiNozzo talk to the agents outside. He didn't feel the agents stand him up, frisk him, and cuff him. He heard and felt nothing.

DiNozzo was standing outside Observation, watching as Kort was led away. Just before the three turned the corner, Kort had to be dragged. He had fainted.

The door next to him opened and out stepped Ziva, McGee, Abby, and Ducky. They all circled him, Abby wrapping him in a hug and the others simply rubbing his back and shoulders. DiNozzo's eyes didn't leave the corner that Kort had disappeared behind, his eyes still murderous.

After a minute, Vance came out. He looked at the five and considers holding off on what he must do. But, he doesn't. "Special Agent DiNozzo. I need to speak to you in my office, immediately." He turned to the rest. "I believe that all of you have reports to write," he said as he turned away, not looking to see if DiNozzo followed.

As the other four rush to defend him from Vance, Tony holds up his hand. He steps out of Abby's embrace and moves to follow Vance.

As they made their way to the elevators, DiNozzo didn't wonder what Vance wanted to discuss with him. He knew that it would require all the mental stability he could muster, and after the last hour with Kort, it wasn't what he needed it to be. He mentally prepared for what was coming, without thinking what might happen.

Before he realized it, he was walking across the catwalk overlooking the bull pen below. His eyes were drawn to the windows, seeing that the sun was setting yet again. He'd spent most of the day either in Interrogation or Abby's Lab. He'd missed the entire day, completely caught up in the case.

As they entered the outer office, DiNozzo finally broke the silence. "Director, can I have a minute to call Palmer to check on Gibbs?"

Vance picked up a message from his secretary and read it in silence. "Doctors have taken him off the drugs that were keeping him comatose. They're also cutting down on the pain killers so he'll wake up." Vance looked at DiNozzo. "I had my secretary call while you were finishing with Kort."

Vance opened the door to his office and walked through, followed by DiNozzo. He pointed to the chair in front of his desk, indicating that DiNozzo should sit there. Vance moved around his desk and sat, taking a moment to notice that DiNozzo was standing halfway between the desk and the door, his arms folded. His face unreadable.

"Agent DiNozzo, please take a seat," Vance said. DiNozzo, internally, was surprised. Vance's voice wasn't laced with his normal aggression and curtness. He seemed almost fatherly. Outwardly, DiNozzo didn't react, but internally, confusion was too tame a word to describe how he felt as he sat.

Vance let out one chuckle. "Long few days," he said, noticing DiNozzo's face going tense immediately. "Is there a problem?"

"Not at all, Director. Just the last time you said that, I had five thousand new best friends and lived in a floating city." DiNozzo's voice showed the anger he still felt, even after all this time.

Vance regarded the younger man for a few moments before speaking. "It wasn't a punishment," Vance stated. He frowned slightly as DiNozzo chuckled without humor. Vance decided that the reason he'd asked him back would have to wait for a few minutes.

"You don't like me, do you?" DiNozzo was taken aback by this.

"You are the Director, my personal feelings about you don't matter," he answered.

"Didn't think so," Vance said, chuckling. His voice turned hard. "Special Agent DiNozzo, I know you feel that you should have stayed here, that you would have found the mole faster if you hadn't gone to the _Seahawk_. I stand by my decision. But, the location you were sent to wasn't a punishment. While everyone was at Director Shepard's funeral, I had a team figure out where to put everyone. McGee and David were easy. Director David in Tel Aviv wanted her back for the duration of the mission, as we had indications that it had something to do with Israel. McGee's talents were a perfect fit for the Cyber Crimes Division, and kept him close to support Gibbs if necessary.

"You were the problem. With your mental state, the only thing that they weren't allowed to consider was a Team Leader position. You would have been your own worst enemy there, and ruined any team you were put in charge of. That, and, the fact that you'd have to be demoted to come back made that untenable, and I didn't know if you'd take the demotion. There was the possibility of various positions, from Agent Afloat, to an undercover mission, a liaison position at the FBI or CIA, but none of them gave the possibility of getting you back quickly. The quickest was Agent Afloat, so that's what I decided. Hate me for it if you want, but I mad my choice and I stick by it."

DiNozzo wasn't expecting the explanation he was given, or any explanation at all. But, he wasn't ready to give up his anger just yet. "So, you sent away the two most experienced agents, and protected him with a computer geek who is at the bottom of the group at the range?"

Vance shook his head, again surprising DiNozzo. "Cassie Yates was up here, TAD, with her entire team. They were actively investigating the mole, but doing it so quietly that she wasn't doing anything. They had to get permission directly from me to ask a question to a witness or suspect. Their real reason for being here was to back up Gibbs."

Vance saw DiNozzo wasn't happy with it, but he was accepting the reasoning. Slowly. Trust would come later, but for it to start, it had to be based on truth.

DiNozzo took all the information in, considered it, decided to make some quiet inquiries, but believed what he heard. His chin rose from his chest and looked into Vance's eyes. "Thank you, Director, but that's not the reason you asked me up here."

Vance nodded. "No it wasn't. The real reason I asked you up here was to congratulate you on solving the case. I know what you personally went through, and I know of the entire team, you're the only one that hasn't slept. Even Officer David took a catnap at the hospital once the security agents got there. But, you haven't. You've been living off coffee and adrenaline for over forty-eight hours."

DiNozzo nodded. It was all true, but it seemed like a strange reason for him to be brought up here. He wasn't the only one that worked this case, and the rest, while they had slept, hadn't gotten much. He played a hunch.

"Director, you could have done that in front of everyone else. In fact, that would have been better. Give the team confidence in my leadership until Gibbs returns, compliment them at the same time." DiNozzo stood and started to pace. "If I go to them and tell them, and they will ask, what we talked about, and I tell them that you congratulated me, and me alone, they're going to get angry, suspicious, and sink their morale." He stopped and placed his hands on the desk. "Is that what you want to do? Destroy it when its leader is in the hospital?"

Vance looked at him with no expression on his face. DiNozzo finally sat, breathing hard. Vance leaned forward on his arms and looked directly in DiNozzo's eyes. "Special Agent DiNozzo, a Team Leader position has come open in NAS San Diego. I don't need an answer now, but I will need one when Gibbs is ready to return."

"No need to wait, Director. Unless you're willing to transplant the entire team, and put Gibbs under me, then I already have a team."

Vance smiled, again confusing DiNozzo. "About what I expected. It was a serious offer, but I knew you wouldn't take it. In fact, I'm glad you didn't." DiNozzo's head tilted. His confusion was running rampant. "I respect the hell out of you. I just show it differently. I push harder those I know can take it. You were an enigma. If you'd asked me a few days ago what I thought of you, it wouldn't have been complimentary. But, I pushed you harder and farther than I would have Gibbs. Today, you tell me you want a team, and I'll find one for you."

DiNozzo's eyes widened in shock. He didn't know what he'd expected when Vance grabbed him outside of Observation, but this wasn't it. He never saw so many curveballs come at him in one hour, from one man.

Vance opened the middle drawer of his desk, pulling a sheet of paper from it. He held it and a pen out for DiNozzo. DiNozzo took the paper, leaving the pen. As he realized what it was, he looked in shock to Vance.

"Cassie Yates is already here with her team. This leave is good for one week. Sign it." DiNozzo did as ordered. Vance continued. "Down on everyone's desk is the same thing. Tomorrow, I want you all in here to fill out the paperwork on this one. Aside from that, I don't want to see you for a week. If I see you here, this will be put into effect immediately. Other than that, they will all be in my desk."

DiNozzo, dumbfounded, simply nodded. "I'll go get them from the rest of the team, Director," DiNozzo said, standing.

Vance motioned for him to sit. He pressed the button for his intercom, speaking to his secretary. "Have Agent DiNozzo's team report up here, please."

"They've been here since about two minutes after you went in, Director," his secretary chuckled. "I'll just send them in."

The door opened, and a confused group entered. Led by Abby, they all held a piece of paper in their hands. DiNozzo stood and looked at them as they fanned out in front of him. "Did you sign them?" Everyone shook their heads. DiNozzo smiled. "Sign them and give them to me. They won't go into effect unless we come back in the next week. Except for tomorrow when we have to come in to finish up the paperwork" All eyes went to Vance, but DiNozzo spoke. "Trust me."

With a collective nod, pens were produced and the scratching of pen and paper were heard. McGee was the first to finish. He held it out to DiNozzo, who took it, but McGee didn't drop his hand. He held it until DiNozzo shook it, each man staring each other in the eye. Abby was next, and she ended it with a large hug. Ducky shook his hand and clapped his shoulder. Ziva held out her hand to be shook, but once their hands met, they came together and embraced. It was more personal than an Abby-Hug, but it was devoid of any romance. It was simply partners giving strength to the other.

DiNozzo turned and handed them all to Vance, who put them in his center drawer. He handed one more to DiNozzo, who took it quizzically. He let out a small bark of laughter as he saw who's name was on it. "Palmer." He folded it and put it in his pocket.

Vance stood. "Fornell and Sacks are waiting downstairs to take you to the hospital. I don't think any of you are in any shape to drive," he chuckled, and the team chuckled with him. They exited, led by Tony, trailed by Ducky. Before he shut the door, he turned and nodded to Vance, who nodded back.

As they arrived at the hospital, all, except Tony, had to be woken up.


	16. Pain

A/N: Apparently, in the last chapter, it wasn't clear what the paper that the team signed was. It was a leave authorization, basically, the form that give approval for a vacation. Vance held them in the desk and they were told to take a week off, if they came into the office for any reason, aside from the paperwork the next day, they would use up leave days. If not, they got a week off without using any leave days.

Hope that clears it up.

I'm not happy with the start of this chapter, but I promised a chapter per day, and I take my promises seriously. There is another A/N at the end.

Chapter 15. Pain

Gibbs swam up from unconsciousness slowly. He fought to hear the sounds outside of his head. They were being drowned out by the rushing sounds inside his head. As he approached consciousness, a stab of pain dragged him back down.

Abby, who was watching him closely, turned to the man waiting with her. "Tim, go get Tony, I think he's waking up." Tim got up and rushed outside to locate the rest of his team.

"C'mon, Gibbs. Come back to us. Please," she pleaded with the unconscious man.

Gibbs was ready to make another try to surface, when a chuckle stopped him.

His eyes snapped open and he looked to his left at the window. _Jenny_, he thought. He looked down at himself. _What are you doing here. Am I dead?_

The vision of Jenny shrugged, smiling. _How can I know. I'm inside your head. I know only as much as you do._

_What happened to me? The last thing I remember is talking to your father, of all people, then a flash of light, and then...nothing._

_Jethro, like I said, I've been here as long as you have. My memories are yours._ Jenny's eyes misted. _Maybe you should have told me how you felt, Jethro_.

A voice came from his left. _He never was good at that. But, somehow, I always knew._

Gibbs stared at the woman leaning on the door frame, smirking. _Shannon? Is that really you?_

Shannon chuckled. _Kinda. I'm like Jenny, stuck in your head. You have good taste._ Both women chuckled. _You always did love red heads._

Gibbs chuckled with them. _Not always. It wasn't until you that I even dated a red head. Up until then, it was always brunettes._

Jenny laughed as Shannon made her way to the bed. _That would explain your closeness to Abby, Kate and Ziva. _

Gibbs was starting to see what was happening. These two women had always been in his head. Jenny was there when he was working. Shannon was there when he was dealing with personal issues.

_Now, Jethro_, Shannon started. _We'll always be here for you. But, there's a few people living that need you as well_.

Gibbs nodded as he became more aware, the pain increasing. As he swam upward, the pain increased, and two hands held his, comforting his.

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

"I think he's finally coming around," he heard from his right.

"About time," he barely heard from in front of him. It sounded like the speaker was muttering. "Ow. That hurt, Ziva."

A chuckle came from his left as a hand rested on his fingertips. The slight shift in weight and way they balanced he realized that it was covered in plaster. "Then do not make me do it again, Tony."

He tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't obey. He tried again, and nothing. Frustrated, he tensed his muscles, provoking a light squeal.

"He just squeezed my hand," he heard wrapped in a squeal from his right. The pain in his head suddenly exploded and he groaned. "Sorry, Gibbs," he heard whispered.

_Gibbs, that's my name. Okay, I knew that already, but I'm going to consider it a victory until I have more of them._

_Time for the next victory. Eyes open. _Nothing again. _I said, eyes open_. Bright light shone through his eyelids. He wanted nothing more than to open his eyes.

He heard a light click and panicked as the light outside his eyes went away. "Okay, Boss, try it now," he heard a baritone voice say. "The light shouldn't hurt."

Through the bottom of his eyelids, he finally could make out...something. It was blurry and it was dark. The image was of a man. As his vision cleared, he saw it was a man who's stance, bearing, jaw set, and steel eyed gaze promised protection, loyalty, and safety.

The man smiled. "Welcome back, Boss." he said.

Gibbs tried to smile in return, but his face barely responded. His voice didn't even sound like his own, it was gravely and hoarse. "Good to be back, Tony."

He sunk back into the darkness.

_Jethro, just rest, we'll be here for you. We all will._ He smiled as he heard Shannon's voice break through into his dreams. He felt his hands still being held, infusing strength into him.

His eyes were open for a few minutes before he realized it. It was so dark in the room that he didn't realize it. It was finally the light wetness on his hand that made him realize that he was no longer asleep. He turned his head to the right, seeing a dark haired woman holding his hand and silently weeping.

He squeezed his own hand lightly to draw her attention to him. Ziva looked up and looked into his eyes. She smiled a teary smile and took one hand to get a cup of water from the table next to him. He took a small sip through the straw, the liquid invigorating him. His eyes never left hers, a question in his eyes.

"Gibbs, when you first came out of surgery, everyone came in here. Even Palmer. Abby slept next to you that first night. Tony put me on guard outside the room." She choked up slightly. "Everyone came in, except me.

"I thought they were coming in to say good bye to you. You were badly injured, you still are. But, I couldn't say good bye. Not to you."

She breathed heavily. "As I was sitting here, I went over what I saw, everyone's face as they came in. It's taken me four days to realize that they weren't saying good bye, but hoping and praying for your recovery. I was...happy that I'd misjudged."

She choked back a tear and looked at their joined hands.. "Then I realized that even when I stood outside the door, I didn't even do that. I didn't even try. I just stared at you, I didn't even think about what it would mean if you weren't here."

She looked up. "What's wrong with me, Gibbs? I do have emotions. I just don't show them like everyone else. Even you show more than I do, and you don't show much." Tears started to flow freely. "What is it? Am I just some violent automaton who only shows emotion when it suits her?"

Gibbs tugged his hand lightly, and Ziva released it. He curled his finger, wagging it at her, and she stood, leaning over him. He brought his hand up and lightly slapped the back of her head. She didn't move, but a smile crossed her face, a much smaller version mirrored in his face.

She sat down again and took his hand. Her eyes were clear and her face was open.

He slept.

This time, there was light. Bright light. It hurt his eyes and head, but it never looked better. He smiled as he felt his hand being held. He looked to his side as a gasp sounded. "Gibbs," she said. "You're awake." She looked slightly apprehensive as she gazed at him.

He tried to reassure her with a light grin. She grinned back, but the apprehension was still there. He realized why she looked that way. "Yes, I am, Abs."

Abby's face lit up, her smile threatening to cut her face in half. She held his hand as she turned to the door. "Timmy, go get Ducky and the rest." Gibbs turned his head to see Tony sitting on the window ledge, where he saw Jenny sit in his dream.

Tim moved swiftly to the door out of his eyesight. "Guys, he's awake," Tim yelled down the hall.

Tony snickered. "Boss, you see what I've had to deal with?"

Gibbs smiled as the room filled. Abby kept a hold on his hand His hand was being jiggled slightly as Abby couldn't sit still. He glanced over to their hands, then up to her. "Caff-Pow," he rasped.

"Nope. I'm high on life. Your life, Gibbs."

They smiled at each other as everyone settled.

"I'd ask how you were doing, Boss, but you'd just lie and say you were fine, and that voice sounds like ten miles of bad road, so let's just consider it said," Tony said.

Gibbs nodded slightly, wincing at the pain in his head as he did so. "Update," he croaked.

DiNozzo looked around, smirking at McGee and Palmer. Both reached in their pockets and pulled out their wallets. DiNozzo and David both accepted the money and shook each other's hands, a grin splitting their faces.

Gibbs smirked. "You done?" His voice sounded like he spent weeks in the desert. Abby offered him his water. He took a drink and nodded his thanks.

DiNozzo started to run through the case since Gibbs' accident that wasn't an accident. As he did so, everyone but Gibbs noticed how he told it.

Everyone else's contributions were magnified, while his were down played. McGee's computer searches, Abby's lab work, Ducky and Palmer's reconstruction of Carmichael's head, Ziva's crime scene forays. At the same time, aside from the facts gleaned from the interrogations, DiNozzo quickly glossed over his part.

As the rest exchanged shocked looks with each other, only Ducky and Gibbs looked at each other, their eyes communicating their understanding of the narrative.

"While we were finishing up the paperwork, McGee, who was done first, started looking into Kort's background during his first years with Rene." He looked straight at Gibbs as he continued. "Rene let him get his feet wet with the sale of a couple hundred weapons in Baja Mexico. A sniper rifle from that shipment ended up in the hands of a Pedro Hernandez."

Gibbs and Ziva both sucked in a breath. Everyone else was confused. Gibbs looked at DiNozzo, his eyes showing emotional pain. DiNozzo simply gazed at him. Gibbs finally nodded for him to continue.

"Pedro Hernandez was selling drugs to Marines on Camp Pendleton in California. He killed a few people, one of which was witnessed by a Marine wife. She was put under NIS protection, but that protection was killed and the witnesses killed when the car they were all in crashed."

Abby put it together, shooting her eyes to Gibbs. "Shannon and Kelly?" Gibbs only nodded. Abby dropped her eyes and squeezed Gibbs' hand in silent support. A single tear escaped Gibbs' eye, matched by one in Abby's.

Gibbs spent a few moments in the past. A memory of a lullaby, a tea party in the backyard, sanding the boat in the basement.

When his mind cleared, he nodded for DiNozzo to continue. "Problem is, the CIA took back Kort. He'll never see the inside of a courtroom, and for once, I agree with the CIA."

Palmer spoke up. "Why?"

DiNozzo regarded him before answering. "Are you serious, Jimmy? The CIA sold weapons to every tin pot dictator in the Third World. They didn't do it personally, but they let it happen in some way encouraged it. I don't even think the FISA Court would have the clearance for this. And, the moment this hits the press, it'll make Iran-Contra look like kids trading baseball cards on the playground."

He looked back to Gibbs. "That includes Davis, the guy who ran you over. Sorry, Boss, but it isn't going to happen." Gibbs nodded, understanding.

At that moment, the floor nurse came in, breaking the tension. Everyone took a moment to relax while she checked Gibbs' vitals. She adjusted some of the monitors and moved away.

Everyone's attention was distracted by light conversation until she left. They weren't paying much attention until they heard something that made their blood run cold.

"And so," began the nurse, "since Dr. Patel has a death in the family, his case will be taken over by Dr. Baxter Murray."

A collective gasp was heard. Gibbs' head fell to his chest, and only Abby was able to hear him whisper, "Dear God, no." He didn't feel Abby's grasping his hand, but he would later when he saw the massive bruise on his hand. Tony and Ziva both looked at each other, silently communicating, then looking to the window at the same time. Both hoped the fall from this high would kill them. McGee winced and grasped his groin. Palmer simply fell off his chair, curling in a ball, a mantra repeating in his mind: _Find a happy place, find a happy place._ Ducky was the only one to keep some of his wits, and so was able to speak.

"I'm sorry, dear, what was the doctor's name?"

"Dr. Maxwell Barry," the now nervous nurse said. "Is there a problem with him?"

Everyone's face relaxed as Ducky answered. "My dear, apparently, the stress of the last few days has gotten us all so on edge that we must have misheard you."

The nurse jotted some notes on her clipboard as she moved, very nervously, toward the door. As the door closed, Gibbs looked at the ceiling. "Tony," he began, "as my medical proxy, if Baxter Murray ever becomes my doctor, you have my permission to pull the plug, even if it's for a stubbed toe."

"No way, Boss. I'm not facing him alone," DiNozzo said.

In other circles, there would have been laughter at this remark. Not with this group. This wasn't anywhere close to funny.

**A/N: To see why the simple name "Baxter Murray" is enough to place the entire MCR Team into such straits to consider suicide a viable option, be sure to read PaperHat's Baxter Murray Series of stories. The name was used with her permission. PaperHat's profile: /u/1412551/**


	17. Epilogue: Magic

Chapter 16. Epilogue: Magic

Tony and Ziva entered the elevator. It was the first day that Gibbs would be back, albeit still on desk duty. It had been a long three months for Ziva and Tim. Gibbs sat in traction, hating everything in the hospital, even thinking of setting up a traction set in his house, just so he could leave. While he was there, he fielded phone calls from Tim and Ziva, complaining about Tony's behavior toward them. He'd also heard from Ducky that they were complaining to him as well.

Gibbs and Ducky both agreed that Tony was the right man for the job.

As the elevator rose, Tony fidgeted, just like he'd done in the car. Just like she'd done in the car, Ziva snickered. "God, this is scratchy. C'mon, Zi, I don't see how I was this bad while Gibbs was gone."

She turned on him. "Tony, you hung up on me, twice. You drank enough coffee that you did not sleep for four days. You were short, tense, and barely slept. I will not even get into how badly you treated Tim during the Cortez case."

Tony never took his eye off the numbers above the door. "I wasn't _that_ bad, I know I wasn't." He looked at her. "Can we just go up, drop our gear, and then I can go change?"

Ziva glared at him, unable to keep a smile off her face. "Tony, if you ever, and I mean ever, want to see me in something like that again, you will not take it off until at least the end of the day, unless I say otherwise."

He wiggled again, trying to get things to feel right. "I hate Mondays," he sighed.

She grinned at him. "Well, you do share a lot of characteristics with Garfield. You both love lasagna, you both love to sleep, and," she patted his stomach, "you are starting to get a little rounder."

He looked down at her. "I love your lasagna, I love to sleep with you, and if you didn't keep me so tired, I'd have more time for exercise." He lightly kissed her lips. "Can I take this damn thing off now?"

Ziva leaned up and kissed him back, deeply. Her fingers ran through his hair, gripping the back of his head, pulling her to him. They broke apart after a minute. He was out of breath, eyes closed, and leaning slightly forward to try to recapture her lips.

He was brought up short when she just said, "No," and turned back as the door opened.

As they entered the bull pen, they saw Jasper Shepard's picture on the screen. McGee was speaking to Gibbs, while Abby, Ducky, and Palmer listened in. "The FBI, on Fornell's advice, has placed Shepard into the Witness Protection Program once his debriefings are done. They're going to use him as a consultant for gun runners."

Gibbs nodded as he looked up at the two new arrivals. Both dropped their bags and moved in front of Gibbs' desk. Both stood there, looking between Gibbs and each other. "What," Gibbs asked.

A quiet argument ensued, with both saying that the other had agreed to tell him. This went on for almost a minute, neither of them noticing the grins on the faces of everyone except Gibbs.

"Fine," Tony exploded. He turned to Gibbs. "Boss, I hereby turn operational control of this team back over to you. Ziva has something to tell you." He spun to Ziva. "Happy?" He stalked back to his desk, Ziva didn't move, staring at him in bemusement.

"Tony," Gibbs yelled, "Get back here."

Tony, halfway to his seat, shook his head and stood, coming back to stand next to Ziva. Only Tony heard the comment, "Coward," from Ziva, who chuckled silently.

Gibbs stood, staring back and forth between the two of them, before turning to McGee's desk. "Elf Lord, Abs, you get over here too."

A confused Tim and Abby joined the other two standing in front of Gibbs' desk. Gibbs placed his hands on his desk, leaning forward. One hand came up, pointing to all of them. "If this gets in the way of the job, if anything happens to keep the professionalism of your jobs, I'll get rid of both of you. DiNozzo, you'll be on a submarine so fast you won't have time to pack. David, you'll be headed back to Israel even faster. McGee, you'll be headed downstairs and I'll revoke your Special Agent privileges. Abby, you're headed to San Diego or Hawaii."

All mouths were open, Abby speaking first. " that sun?" Gibbs only nodded. Abby hung her head.

Tim was the next to snap out of his trance. "Boss, what are you talking about?"

Gibbs just looked at him. "August 18th, McGee."

"Oh." McGee hung his head, trying to hide a smile.

Tony looked at him and punched him lightly in the arm. "Way to go, McStud Muffin."

Ziva stood still, not letting Gibbs realize that he'd shocked her. Then she realized that she had to say something. She leaned across Tony and whispered loudly, "Congratulations, Abby." She stood up, registering Abby's smile out of the corner of her eye.

"And you two, November 5th." Both mouths hung open again for a moment, before Ziva turned to Tony, glaring at him. "Don't look at him, David. You gave it away." A yelp of surprise came from Ziva as Gibbs turned back to Tim and Abby. Making a 'shoo' motion with his hand, he sent them back to McGee's desk, the two now holding hands.

Gibbs turned back to his other Agents, looking between the two. "I have just one question for you." They were slightly surprised by the gentleness in his voice. But, nothing could have prepared them for the question he asked.

"Have you set a date yet?"

If you stood a mile away and waved a feather in their general direction, both would have quickly fallen over. All eyes, except Tim's turned to Tony and Ziva as the impact hit them.

Tim just chuckled. "Boss, I think you spent a little too much time in the hospital. Them dating, okay, I can see how you'd figure that out, but engaged...What, Abby," he asked turning to her, as she continued to jerk on his arm. He looked at her for a moment before turning to see where she was looking. When he saw their faces, his mouth fell open. "Wha..."

Gibbs, meanwhile, was snapping his fingers in their faces, trying to get their attention. He gave up and sighing, gathered his crutches. "I need coffee," he muttered as he passed the two, giving both a head slap as he did. Neither noticed.

The elevator doors closed before Tony and Ziva turned to each other. Abby was the first to break the silence. "When?"

Ziva never took her eyes off Tony, but breathed, "Saturday night. A day and a half ago." She pulled out her necklace, showing her Star of David and a subdued engagement ring.

Abby jumped up and held it. Suddenly, she began to jump in excitement. Ziva snapped from her almost comatose trance when she felt her neck being yanked on. "Abby," she yelled, carefully removing her ring from the goth's fingers.

Abby paid no attention to her. "I finally have proof. Concrete, undeniable, proof." Her voice turned into a whisper.

"He _is_ Magic."

_fin_

----------------

**A/N:** Thank you to all of you who came along for the ride. With the computer problems I had, it was actually fun to rewrite this every day.

Special thanks to Viktorija and M E Wofford, who reviewed damn near every chapter, and kept me in line with the plot.

Another special thank you to PaperHat, who let me borrow Baxter Murray for a few minutes.

I've gotten a couple questions about what Tony's wearing. I leave that to your imagination.

Thanks to everyone. See you next time.


End file.
